General Election 2013: Eight Days Left to Submit Nominations and Proxy Voting

Standing for Election

The public are reminded that they have just eight days to submit candidate nominations for this year’s General Election – the closing date for nominations is Tuesday 2 July 2013 at 12 noon.

If you are considering whether to stand, the time to decide is now.

If you are over the age of 21, genuinely interested in the Island’s affairs and its people, and believe that you have the ability to lead the Island forward as it prepares for opportunities and changes that an airport will bring – then you are encouraged to step forward and submit your nomination.

The process for submitting a nomination is very simple, all you need to do is:

• Make your nomination on the prescribed form, available from the Returning Officer at No. 1 Main Street, The Customer Service Centre or Public Library.
• Make sure that each form contains the signature of the Candidate, two Sponsors and five Supporters, (all of whom must have their names on the new Register of Electors, (published today 24 June 2013). Each Signature must be witnessed (except that of the Candidate) – and the signatures of the two ‘Sponsors’ need to be witnessed by the Returning Officer, Gillian Francis, or a Justice of the Peace.
• Submit completed forms to the Returning Officer by noon on Tuesday 2 July 2013. Early submission is recommended to allow time to correct any errors.

Nomination forms are available from the Returning Officer, at No. 1 Main Street who is also available to answer any questions you may have on the nomination process (Tel: 2314).

Proxy Voting

If more than 12 nominations are received then a Poll will be held on Wednesday, 17 July 2013. The law allows a voter who will be absent from St Helena on polling day, or is by reason of illness or physical incapacity, unable to attend the polling station – to appoint a person (a “Proxy”) to vote on his or her behalf.

The Proxy must be a person who is also eligible to vote – i.e. have their name on the Electoral Register. The new Register of Electors, which will be the one used in this year’s General Election, was published today. It should be noted that no person can be a Proxy for more than one absent or sick elector.

Application forms for voting by proxy are available from the Returning Officer at 1 Main Street, the Customer Service Centre and the Library. Completed forms must be submitted by 10am on Monday 15 July (that is, 48 hours before the start of the poll).

If proxy forms cannot be collected in person, and individuals are unable to submit completed forms by hard copy, you can do so by receiving and sending the forms by email to the Returning Officer, Gillian Francis on deputychiefsec@sainthelena.gov.sh. Completed forms may be delivered directly to the Returning Officer at No 1 Main Street, or can be sent by fax or email to Gillian Francis. However, the email or fax must contain the fully completed form, with an original (hand-written) signature.

SHG
24 June 2013

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St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh