(CMR) Multiple voters have contacted CMR, stating that they were made uncomfortable during the voting process today with candidates hanging out at polling stations.
CMR reported at least five instances of this to both the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and the Superintendent of Elections.
Candidates were said to be greeting voters and shaking their hands. At least one candidate is being accused of acting as an agent with a list. There was at least one candidate who spent an extended period of time at the agents’ desk. Voters said they found this very intimidating.
A voter has also claimed that a candidate followed a voter into a restricted area.
There were also complaints of vote-buying and persons wearing party t-shirts.
The Supervisor of Elections Wesley Howell said he had received several reports of candidates spending a lot of time within the 300 ft exclusion zone.
He said candidates were allowed to be in the 300 ft zone by law and could be at the agents’ desk if they had no agents; however, campaigning was not allowed.
“Campaigning on election day within the 300 ft barrier are issues that ought not to happen,” Howell said, adding that the Returning Officers and the police were looking into the various reports.
Meantime, Howell said more persons have been voting in this election than in the 2017 elections. So far, 15,172 persons or 64.3 have voted less than an hour before voting ends.