(CMR) Ahead of the 2021 General Election, the Elections Office reminds individuals intending to run that they must first seek formal nomination in order to be considered a candidate.
Individuals must submit a completed set of nomination forms to their electoral district’s Returning Officer on Nomination Day, Monday, March 1, 2021, between 8 am and 3 pm, the Elections Office stated in a release on Wednesday.
“Preparations for the next General Elections are progressing well at the Elections Office. Nomination Day is an important next step in the process to delivering Cayman’s free and fair elections. By way of this release, we are aiming to share the most relevant information with persons seeking to be nominated prior to Nomination Day,” said the Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Howell.
The Elections Office reminds all individuals seeking nomination of the following:
Legal advice
The Elections Office is not permitted to provide anyone with legal advice. Individuals with questions about nomination qualifications or other legal interpretations are encouraged to seek their own legal advice.
Standards in Public Life Declarations
The Standards in Public Life Declarations form must be submitted to the Standards in Public Life Commission Secretariat before nominations. For more information, contact the Standards in Public Life Commission at 244-3685 or via email at info@standardsinpubliclifecommission.ky.
Nominators
Individuals intending to run in the General Election must be nominated by at least two people who are registered electors of the electoral district they are running for at the time of signing the nomination paper.
The Election Office reminds that it is an offense to knowingly nominate a person who is not qualified pursuant to section 61 of Schedule 2 to the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009 or is disqualified under section 62 of the said Schedule to be elected as a member of the Cayman Islands Parliament.
Additionally, it is also an offense for a nominator who, at the date of signing the nomination paper, is not a registered elector of that electoral district or knows that the person nominated is not qualified to be elected. Those who commit this offense are liable on conviction to a fine of KYD$2,000.
Qualifications and disqualifications
Anyone seeking nominations is encouraged to carefully review the Cayman Islands Constitution and the Elections Act (2021). It is an offense to knowingly consent to be nominated if you are not qualified pursuant to section 61 of Schedule 2 to the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009 or is disqualified under section 62 of the said Schedule from being elected as a member of the Cayman Islands Parliament. Anyone who commits this offense is liable on conviction to a fine of KYD$5,000.
Deposit
Nomination forms must be accompanied by a deposit of KYD 1,000 payable in cash or a bank draft payable to the Cayman Islands Government.
If a candidate is not elected and received less than 10% of the total votes polled, the money deposited is forfeited to the Crown. Otherwise, the deposit will be refunded to the person who paid the deposit after the election results are declared.
Photo
Candidates must supply a high-resolution 2” x 2” passport size color photo on Nomination Day. The photo will be included on the ballot papers.
Candidates should also print their name legibly, as what is written on the nomination form is how it will appear on the ballot paper.
Logos
Candidates must indicate to the Returning Officer if they belong to a registered party. The party logo or, for independent candidates, “IND” will be placed beside each candidate’s photo on the ballot paper.
Agents
Agents will need to be appointed quickly, particularly those who will be observing the issuance of postal ballots, followed by those who will be used for mobile voting and then Elections Day.
The first postal ballots will be issued between March 10 and 11, 2021.
Campaign expenses
Candidates are urged to review the guidance on campaign expenses which will be issued on Nomination Day. The deadline to provide election campaign expenses to the Supervisor of Elections is Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
Nomination locations
