The final register of electors issued by Electoral Office of Dominica

As the general elections of Dominica are approaching next week, the Electoral Office of Dominica issued the Preliminary and Supplementary Registers.

As per the regulation 40 of the Registration of Electors Regulations, no electoral office can no longer do additions to them.

The preliminary registers we published on September 30, 2019, and notice of the deadline was given stating that changes can be made till November 20, 2019.

Moreover, this was before his excellency declared the writs for elections under the Public Seal. Consequently, this declaration has, by regulation of law, been succeeded by the issuance of the writs for elections on November 6, 2019, according to segments 16 and 17 of the Registration of Electors Act.

Section 12 (1) of the House of Assembly (Elections) Act confers the President the authorisation to issue writs for elections, under the Public Seal. Section 12 (2) demands that the date for submission be informed and mandates that the election be held not less than 15 days and no more than 21 days from submission day. The writs for elections were issued on November 6, 2019, Nomination Day was on November 19, 2019, and the parliamentary elections are on December 06, 2019.

As section 16 (b) of the Registration of Electors Act sanctions the elimination of those required to be expelled after a question within five days of the writs, this would not establish an exchange of the register, but the removal of names from the Supplementary List by operation of law.

Section 16 (b) of the Act and Regulation 40 therefore, would not allow the preparation of the register to be delayed, to permit for the hearing of objections filed after the writs were published.

Notices of objection submitted to the Electoral Office will be reviewed, and those deemed validly filed will be dealt with following the law.