By Elesha George
The St Mary’s South constituency is buzzing with excitement today as 2,717 eligible voters prepare to exercise their democratic right to vote for a candidate who will represent them in the House of Representatives.
All eight polling stations in the constituency will open their doors promptly at 6 am, thereby providing ample opportunity for registered voters to cast their ballots in this highly-anticipated by-election.
The St Mary’s South Constituency encompasses five polling stations in Bolans, one in Johnson’s Point, and two in Urlings.
Despite initial concerns about the passage of Hurricane Tammy, Ian Hughes — the Supervisor of Elections at the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) — reassured the public that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure the smooth running of the by-election.
“We just needed to look at what Tammy would do, if anything at all, and so we had to look at our contingencies over the weekend. Thankfully, we do not have to use those contingencies in order to conduct the election,” he said.
On Monday, designated election officers were dispatched to deliver empty ballot boxes and other essential supplies the constituency. This approach ensures that polling stations will have everything needed to facilitate the democratic process.
Voting will commence at 6 am and conclude at 6 pm, allowing a 12-hour window for voters to cast their ballots. Presiding officers and clerks are expected to be in place by 4 am, accompanied by police officers for added security. They will depart from ABEC’s headquarters with the presiding officers and a driver from the Antigua and Barbuda Transport Board.
In a move to accommodate the electorate, the Electoral Commission kept its headquarters on Queen Elizabeth Highway open until 4:30pm on Monday to facilitate the process of replacement cards for eligible voters in St Mary’ South.
This by-election marks a significant moment for Hughes, the newly appointed Supervisor of Elections for Antigua and Barbuda, who was confirmed by the parliament in August.
The St Mary’s South by-election will be contested by the United Progressive Party’s (UPP) candidate Kelvin “Shugy” Simon, Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) candidate, Dwayne George, and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Andrew Antonio will contest the October 24 election.
Whomever wins Tuesday’s by-election will represent the St Mary’s South Constituency in parliament moving forward.