THE ELECTORAL Advisory Committee (EAC) and the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) are expecting that the machinery for elections will be ready by the end of March but a major area of concern will be the recruitment and training of Election Day workers. The EAC's revised figure of needing 17,000 workers is only half way completed and there is an SOS call to Jamaicans from civil society, church and tertiary institutions to volunteer.
The chairman of the EAC is right in saying that political activists and card-carrying members of political parties are integral to the electoral process by promoting the virtues of their respective parties, but they have no business in managing the electoral process. Therefore, volunteers from civil society should become involved as election workers in order to protect the integrity of the electoral system.
Our National Heroes struggled for this country to have the right to vote without reference to gender, class, economic status or colour and it is important that that right is guarded. The vote of every Jamaican is important and people must have a system that can guarantee one person one vote in an atmosphere that is free and fair and without fear. Volunteers can ensure that the upcoming election is the fairest since Adult Suffrage in 1944.
It is a good idea for tertiary level students to get involved in the electoral process. It should serve as part of their education as from their ranks will come the leaders of tomorrow schooled in the importance of the voting exercise.
We therefore call on all who can to support the electoral process by volunteering whether as presiding officers, poll clerks or supervisors. Some persons may be fearful because of the past history of electoral violence in a few troublesome constituencies. These will get special security attention. In addition, the EOJ has been using clusters in garrison areas in order to minimise the dangers.
We therefore urge civil organisations to encourage their competent members to volunteer as Election Day workers as an important contribution to the development of our young democracy.
