Chairman of Electoral Commission Speaks Electoral Reform

The Chairman of the Electoral Commission Mr. Gerald Burton speaking at the Eggs and Issues Breakfast of the Dominica Association of Industry and Commerce on Monday defended the righs of citizens to cast their ballots in general elections as long as their names are on the voting register.

Mr. Burton stressed that a citizen is eligible to vote until his/her name, with good reason, is removed from the elector’s list.

Burton continued that “the constitution, democracy the rule of law, all of the very important buzzwords in my view recognize that the rights created, of expression, of assembly and also the right to remain registered are individual rights. ”

He expressed that there must be very good reason to have those rights taken away and even in the event that they are taken away they can only be done with great care and diligence and also in the case of the deceased.

Burton says there are however, legal ways to remove ineligible voters from the list.

He stated that someone can be removed from the electors list if “he was dies, an objection to his registration has been allowed, he has been absent from dominica for a period more than 5 years, he has become disqualified as an elector under this act or any other written law imposing his qualifications as an elector.”