Supervisor of Elections, Ian Hughes, has reported an increase of almost 100 new voters in the St Mary’s South constituency, as the area prepares for an upcoming by-election.

In a statement made on the Observer AM show, Hughes disclosed that many of the new transfers had registered after November 30th last year, which was after the general election in January, therefore, they could not have been added to the electoral list in time for the general election.

Hughes stated that the electoral list being used in the by-election would include persons registered from December 2019 to August 31, 2020.

This means that the new electoral list has increased from 2,616 to 2,707, accounting for three people who have died since the election.

The total number of new registrants is 94, and of course, there were persons who applied throughout that timeframe for a transfer, and they also would have gone through the process of claims and objections.

Individuals who wish to transfer their registration have until October 9th to visit the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission’s offices on Queen Elizabeth Highway to make the transfer effective.

It is important to note that applying for a transfer does not guarantee an automatic transfer. Until the person comes into the office to open the system with their fingerprints, and then the transfer process is made complete, their name will remain where it is.

ABEC has hired auditors Grant Thorton to oversee the printing process of the ballot papers, which is scheduled for October 12th.

The by-election for St Mary’s South scheduled for October 24th will be contested by the United Progressive Party’s Kelvin Simon, the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party’s Dwayne George, the Democratic National Alliance’s Andrew Antonio, and the Missing Link—Voice of the People’s Nigel Bascus.