Jamaicans without Voter ID cards will still be allowed to vote

Jamaicans who do not have a voter identification (ID) card will still be able to cast their ballots on Election Day, September 3, once their names appear on the Voters’ List.

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The clarification came from the Director of Elections, Glasspole Brown, during an interview with JIS News.

“As long as you are on the voters’ list, you will be allowed to vote, but the process will involve you filling out some forms and taking an oath,” Mr. Brown explained. He noted that the oath requires electors to swear that they are the correct registered voter.

While the law provides for voting without a voter ID card, Mr. Brown is urging persons who have not yet collected their renewed cards to do so before Election Day. “If you are not yet in the possession of your new voter ID card, we suggest that you do so quickly before September 3,” he said.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has disclosed that approximately 120,000 voter ID cards remain uncollected at constituency offices across the island. Many belong to individuals who registered as far back as 2016 and received cards that were set to expire in 2019 but were later extended until 2021.

Public Relations and Communications Manager at the EOJ, Daynia Harper, emphasized that having the voter ID card significantly improves the process at polling stations. “Having the voter ID card on Election Day makes the process quicker and it makes it smoother, resulting in shorter lines and shorter wait times for persons,” she said.