THE ELECTORAL Office of Jamaica is served by 60 constituency offices, each under the direction of a Returning Officer.
The Returning Officer is an individual appointed by the EAC to supervise all the Electoral matters at the constituency level. All Returning Officers are appointed indefinitely, however, the EAC may terminate any appointment at any time or the Returning Officer may resign the commission (in writing) at any time.
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE RETURNING OFFICERS:
These powers and functions are:
- Recruitment of staff - Presiding Officer, Poll Clerk, Supervisor, couriers.
- Declaration of Nomination.
- Conduct of training session for election day workers.
- Visiting polling stations on election day.
- Receipt and transmission of results.
- General supervision of all polling procedures including recounts.
- Completion of election returns
- Declaration of the poll.
STATUTORY DUTIES OF
THE RETURNING OFFICER
The issue of the writ of election triggers a chain of statutory duties which must be undertaken by the Returning Officer of the constituency. The primary duties are to:
- Issue an election notice in the prescribed manner and dispatch a copy to
each postmaster of the post offices within the constituency. Such action should
be committed within two days of being notified of the writ of elections.
- Ensure that election notice is published in a daily newspaper and in The
Jamaica Gazette.
- If only one candidate is nominated, make a return to the Director of Elections
indicating that such candidate has been duly elected for the constituency.
- Within 48 hours, forward a certified copy of the return to the person elected.
- If more than one candidate is nominated for the constituency, grant a poll.
- Post to each postmaster a Notice of Grant Of Poll.
- Within seven days after Nomination Day, deliver or send by registered mail
five copies of the notice of the grant of poll to each candidate.
The following information should accompany the Notice of Grant of Poll:
- The list of Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks.
- A copy of each separate list of electors, relating to each polling station.
- Details relating to the transportation of ballot boxes from polling stations.
A candidate or his agent may make objection or representation to the Returning Officer, within five days after receipt of the documents mentioned, against any of the particulars or arrangements set out in such documents.
- The Returning Officer, if he thinks it necessary, may consult with other
candidates or their agents and may then make such changes, if any, as he thinks
fit.
- Transmit to the Accountant-General the amount of every deposit made in
respect of nomination.
The Returning Officer is assisted at the constituency level by an Assistant Returning Officer and a Clerical Assistant.
The Returning Officer and his assistant are part-time employees but are in charge of the Clerical Assistant, the full-time employee.
