Before any election, there is a meeting that the Elections and Boundaries Department organizes to lay down the rules for all the candidates, and parties. It's usually just a formality, but this time, there's a pressing question that still needs to be answered: who gets the color red on the ballot?
It's a critical issue to allow for clarity in the ballot box - and the process should be as simple as possible since the right to vote is so fundamental in a democracy. Many people, particularly those who are visually impaired or have a low literacy level, look for a specific color when they cast their vote.
Yesterday we told you that there is a possibility that there will be two red candidates on ballots in some constituencies. If that happens, the reds will have to be distinguished by a symbol. What symbol? Tonight, we still don't know.
So what answers came out of today's meeting? Courtney Menzies was in Belmopan today and has this story.
After today's meeting between the Elections and Boundaries Commission and representatives from all political entities who plan to contest the general elections, there is still no clear answer on who will get to use the color red.
Yesterday, the commissioners met and voted on what to do as it relates to the two UDP factions. The options ranged from only allowing one to use the traditional red, to letting both use it but adding symbols. Commissioner Orlando Espat told us how that went:
Orlando Espat, Commissioner, E&B Commission
"As I gave you all today, we gave options and the option that was agreed upon by a not unanimous vote but the majority vote in the Commission is that the two political parties will get red and we gave them also the option to go back to their political parties, which the UDP side is saying no, there's only one UDP."
"The other side is saying we are also UDP, so both of them want the red. So we opted, okay, we're going to give you both the red, but you go back to your party now and you come back to us next week and you tell us what symbol you want us to put there."
Reporter
"Having two red symbols they've never seen before, it might confuse them. Shouldn't the Commission make an executive decision that can't be two red, have to be two different color."
Orlando Espat, Commissioner, E&B Commission
"Well, of course, and you're correct that it can cause confusion, but one of the things that I want to tell you is that the political parties have representation in the Commission. In this case, and you know the process, the advice comes from the Prime Minister three, and then the leader of the opposition recommends two. So they have two persons in there, so we don't act arbitrarily, we do consult with them."
"It is the position of both sides now, the UDP, and I don't know if I should call them UDP one or two because I don't want to get into their politics. We are the Commission and we have to act as such, but they have decided that both of them want the red. The problem is, as you normally say, you said just now, it can cause confusion. So the best thing, and we adopted, okay, let's put a symbol in it."
But this isn't set in stone - any party or candidate can decide on nomination day to choose a different color. The commission would then have to discuss it and make a determination. That's why the UDP rep on the commission complained that yesterday's vote was premature.
Alberto August, Commissioner, E&B Commission
"Like I told the commission yesterday, that voting that happened yesterday was premature. Everything comes to a head on nomination day. The nomination form clearly states at the last item at the right hand side of the nomination paper that the political parties at that time advise the commission as to the color that they want to appear next to their name so unless that process is completed, the commission cannot make a decision or determination on the matter."
"When the department receives all the nomination forms and they determine like hold on, there are several people here applying for the red and then the commission will meet on the basis of that."
August also agreed that having two reds will result in more spoilt ballots since voters will be confused. But they're not planning to choose another color, and neither is Tracy Panton's faction.
Reporter:
"Does Ms Panton's camp see this as a win that you guys can see the color red?"
Sheena Pitts, TP UDP Chairlady
"Well, we are UDPs and the color for UDP is red and it's just that in my view. That is not a win, that is the rightful thing."
Pitts added that both factions are responsible to do voter education so that the public knows which color or symbol - or both - represents what candidate, since UDP voters in some constituencies will not be voting based on just party.
However, the chairman of Barrow's faction doesn't believe it'll be too confusing for voters.
Michael Peyrefitte, SB UDP Chairman
"You go into the elections and boundaries commission, I want to run for this constituency. i want to use the color, I don't know, mother of pearl. And it turns out he comes and says I want to run in that same division and I want to use mother of pearl. What the commissioner then does is like, listen to me, you two come in, both of you have the same color or symbol that you want to use. We need to have you agree that one of you will take a different color, a different shade, or if you can't agree, then we will make the decision as to what will differentiate you in terms of signs and symbols. But we haven't reached to that point yet. I mean the commission can say, listen to me, a macala will be your symbol, a potlicker will be your symbol, a cat will be mine. We don't know, but we haven't reached to the point where the situation has become ripened for them to make a decision."
"If Paul Lopez is running and he's running under a sandfly or mosquito, you have the sample ballot with his name with the x next to him so I imagine if he goes to campaign, he will distribute his sample ballot and say, ey, I'm the macala, just look for the macala and vote for me. I really don't see the difficulty. Of course, options are open for judicial review of the commission. The UDP would have to discuss any decision made by the elections and boundaries commission and weigh our options however, some may believe, and they have a point, that at this point there are some things far more important than that."
But as August pointed out, the use of both the color and the symbols goes against the regulations of the ROPA.
Alberto August, Commissioner, E&B Commission
"In terms of the Commission and the representation of the people act, the ROPA, at schedule 3 it speaks about the conduct of election, the election rules. And at section 15 4, it talks about the assignment of colors. The ROPA is clear as crystal, you have 3 options in accordance with the ROPA. You have to assign one color, the commission can assign one color to a party and if you don't want that one color, it could apply multiple colors. Or symbols. In this case, there's no where in the ROPA that talks about colors and symbols."
"And that is what the commission is seeking to do so in this regard if the UDP will proceed down this road."
So for UDP voters, they'll have to wait until the 24th to see what exactly they should be looking out for on the ballot, depending if they're Team Shyne or Team Tracy.
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