COROZAL DISTRICT, Wed. Feb. 17, 2021– The Elections and Boundaries Department is encouraging the 5,712 voters registered in the Corozal Bay division to participate in both the Corozal Town Council elections and the Corozal Bay by-elections. Voters in that constituency will choose an area representative and also the new Corozal Town Council on March 3, 2021. The Chief Elections Officer, Josephine Tamai, told the media that provisions are in place for the convenience of the constituents who will have to make two important decisions on that day.
“We want to encourage persons who will be voting, or who are registered voters for the Corozal Bay electoral division, to take the opportunity to vote in both elections, because we’re making it very easy for those persons,” Ms. Tamai said.
Two polling areas — polling areas 39 and 40 — are listed for Corozal Bay, and there will be a total of 18 polling stations.
“All persons who are registered electors for Corozal Bay, those persons are eligible to vote in the municipal elections. Those persons will join one line. So, when you reach the polling station, you will have one line. In that line, now, those persons will first vote for municipal elections. When you go in, you will be sanitized, you will be identified. The name will be marked off the voter’s list. The person will be required to show his or her right index finger, to ensure that they have not voted before. We will use 2 different color inks, and 2 different fingers for the dip, to know exactly who has voted for the by-election, and who has voted for the municipal election,” explained Tamai.
She further described the procedure that each voter will follow by saying, “So, the voter will first go to the presiding officer for the municipal election to receive a ballot paper. Once that person has gone through the process in terms of marking and voting for 1 mayor and 6 councilors, that person would have already been identified. They’re in the same classroom. Those persons will just go over to the presiding officer for the by-election to receive a ballot paper for the by-election. They go through the process again. They mark their one X for whichever candidate they choose to vote for and place it in the ballot box for the by-election. So, again, you have 2 separate ballot boxes: 1 for the municipal election, and one for the by-election.” Ms. Tamai explained.
The counting area for the municipal election will be at Corozal Community College, while the votes cast for the by-elections will be counted at Saint Francis Xavier RC School. A polling station has also been established at Indiaville, so members in that more remote community can access voting.
Hilberto Campos, the UDP’s candidate, will go up against Elvia Vega Samos, the sister of the late elected area representative, David “Dido” Vega.
Polls will open countrywide at 7:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m.