Free and Fair Elections Calls for National Voter Reregistration to Safeguard Electoral Integrity

Press Statement

The Free & Fair Press Elections League Inc. notes with interest the Press Statement of the Electoral Commission (ABEC) dated 21^st May 2024 in which they advised the public of the decision to implement an Identification Card Replacement Program to commence on 12^th August 2024.

The League is very concerned that ABEC has reversed its earlier decision of 18^th March 2024 to conduct a national registration of voters. In its Press Statement, ABEC stated, “The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission will commence a national reregistration exercise in October 2024.”

ABEC is of the considered opinion that the process of re-registration is the best method of maintaining the integrity of the Voters’ List.

It is important to emphasize that all eligible persons (18 years and over) will be required to register when the process officially begins.

The expiration of forty thousand (40,000) identification cards which represents approximately two-thirds of registered voters, has resulted in the need for replacement of the identification cards. It has also impacted the Electors Register are unable to vote because their identification cards have expired. 

This has resulted in a tainted corrupted electors register and voters’ list which can only be remedied by a process of registration of voters.

We opine that the law is pellucid in the Representation of the People Amendment Act No. 17 of 2001 and the Second Schedule of the said Act and No 11 of 2002 which facilitated and allowed ABEC to conduct reregistration of Voters in 2003 and 2013.

The justification for a national re-registration are:- To facilitate replacement of expired voter identification cards.

The cleansing of a tainted corrupted electors register and voters list.

Allegations of illegal transfers during the 2023 General Elections

Deceased  persons on the list.

The granting of amnesties leading up to elections.

The Commission should have been well aware of the expiration date of the voters’ card in April 2024 and it is incumbent upon them to always be in a state of readiness for an election.

Further, they should not be concerned about the price for the exercise. Free and Fair elections are tenets of our democracy and should not be measured in dollars and cents.

Consequently, the Free and Fair Elections Inc. is calls on ABEC to conduct a national reregistration of voters in order to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and the voters list in which citizens and in particular electors can have confidene.