7 News Belize

How To Make Sure Your Referendum Ballot Is Counted
posted (May 7, 2019)
Tomorrow, 148,500 voters will be eligible to vote at 344 polling stations across the country in Belize's first stand-stand-alone referendum.

After all these years of hearing about it, and all these months of being pounded with messaging about the ICJ - it all comes down to a simple "yes" or "no". You;You've heard all sides of the story in these past few months - but tonight - we just want to make sure you vote and that you get it right. Here are the do's and don't's of voting from the Chief Elections Officer:

Josephine Tamai, Chief Elections Officer
"It's your duty and obligation to go out and make your statement. Staying at home on that day will not do any good for any individual, because those are the same individuals who I believe will sit and complain. but the only way your voice could be heard is if you go out on that day and cast your ballots. Be vigilant and ensure that the ballot paper that the presiding officer gives to you have his/her signature on that ballot paper and that is the signature of the presiding officer and that is the same ballot paper that they are required to put in that box."

"If the voter has voted for more than one choice - remember in this case you only have a YES or NO. If you put your X beside YES and NO, your ballot paper will be rejected, because we don't know if you wanted to vote for YES or NO. So in that case your ballot paper will also be rejected. Some people choose not even mark the ballot paper. They go in get the ballot paper, it's not mark for either YES or NO. Again, that ballot has to be automatically rejected, because you can't count it for any of the 2 options."

"Another reason why the ballot paper would be rejected if any voter marks the ballot paper in order for them to be identified. So if I go and put Josephine Tamai or make some statement on that ballot paper, whatever and it could be traced back to me, again, that ballot is rejected."

"Remember your vote must be secret and sacred. So the secrecy must not be compromised at any point in time."

"Also any ballot paper that is unmark or it is void for any uncertainty. Let say for example the X is mark in both YES and NO and its uncertain as to how the voter intended to vote, again, that ballot paper will be rejected."

"I want to encourage the Belizean public to ensure that when you go in. before you make your choice, make sure that you mark your X beside your choice. Whatever your choice is you need to marl your X beside that."

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