Electoral Office warns Dominican voters to observe registration requirements

The Electoral Office of Dominica is advising the general public that a critical component of any claim for registration is the residency requirement.

A statement from the Electoral Office states that the Registration of Electors Act (Chap. 2:03) requires that any citizen of Dominica who submits a claim for registration, must have been living in the polling district in which they intend to register for at least three (3) months prior to the date of registration.

“For Commonwealth member state citizens, the requirement is that they be resident in Dominica for at least twelve (12) months and in the particular polling district in which they want to register for at least three (3) months prior to registration,” the statement adds.

It goes on to say, “These conditions must be met when registering along with the age, required by the act as 18 or over, and citizenship. Electors must be citizens of either Dominica or any other Commonwealth Member State. We also want to make it clear that Electors can only be registered in one polling district at a time.”

The Electoral Office says it is encouraged by the recent influx of claims for registration as an elector, which it says is an important part democracy and the electoral process in Dominica.

The Electoral Office is also urging people to desist from making any false claims.

“We admonish those persons who knowingly make false statements for the purpose of being registered as an elector. The public is reminded that any person who does this is by law guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $1500.00 or to imprisonment for three months,” it warns in its statement.

“The Electoral Office and Registering Officers have increased their vigilance to guard against any such instances and the office will work with Law Enforcement authorities to give effect to the provisions of the law,” the statement declares.

The Electoral Office is urging the public to be guided accordingly and is commending its officers at the Electoral Office and around Dominica “who have been diligent in carrying out their function.”