Compliance to COVID-19 protocols observed as special services electors vote

 

A high level of compliance to COVID-19 protocols was observed during voting on Monday by special services electors.

 

Polls closed at 4 o'clock.

 

Members of the security forces cast their ballots at 28 polling stations while there were 169 polling stations for election day workers.

 

When Radio Jamaica News visited some of the polling stations, electors were seeing wearing masks. Their temperatures were checked and hands sanitised before they were allowed to enter the polling stations.

 

Director of Elections Glasspole Brown told Radio Jamaica News earlier that there were minor challenges Monday morning relating to COVID-19 protocols, however, these were addressed. 

 

There were also complaints from some police officers that their names were not on the voters' list. 

 

Senior Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay, head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Corporate Communications Unit, said police officers who were unable to vote today will be allowed to do so on Thursday.

 

"Depending on the time when you joined the police force, your name may end up on the civilian's list. So in those instances, special arrangement has been made for those police officers to vote on election day, so as not to disenfranchise them from exercising their right to vote," she said. 

 

Speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines late Monday afternoon, the Director of Elections said apart from that mishap with some members of the security forces, there was no major incident reported. 

 

He said the voter turnout was "fairly moderate" with about 27 per cent turnout up to midday.   

 

Some 31,084 Election Day workers, 11,512 police officers, and 4,181 soldiers were eligible to vote.