Romario Scott, Gleaner Writer

Members of the People's National Party Youth Organisation (PNPYO) are convinced that their votes will weigh heavily in today's vice presidential election for the party now under way at the National Arena in St Andrew.

Incumbents Drs Wykeham McNeill, Fenton Ferguson and Angela Brown Burke and newcomers Mikael Phillips, Damion Crawford and Phillip Paulwell are vying for the four posts of vice president.

Many PNPYO members are backing one-time president Damion Crawford.

"It's youth time now and anyhow he has to get in, he will get in. We are prepared to kick down the door for Crawford this time, there is no holding back," a PNPYO member told The Gleaner just after he voted.

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IN PHOTO: Contender Damion Crawford plants a kiss on the forehead of a supporter ahead of voting in the vice presidential race.

He argued that for too long the PNP has been "holding down" Crawford.

Meanwhile, PNPYO president Krystal Tomlinson said she was pleased with the turnout of members of the youth arm for today's polls. 

She said the PNP's democracy was on full display. 

Tomlinson mentioned though, that the PNPYO as a movement had made an executive decision that it would not be mobilising support for any particular candidate. 

"We made that deliberate decision. It's a new executive and we just didn't feel that we should have done that at this point," she said. 

Delegates In Joyous Mood At National Arena

The National Arena in St Andrew is abuzz with activities as People's National Party (PNP) handlers seek to ensure all delegates cast their votes in the vice presidential race.

Six candidates are vying for four posts.

Voting got under way at 10 o'clock this morning and will end at 4 p.m.

IN PHOTO: An Electoral Office of Jamaica worker checks the registration card of a delegate before he enters the National Arena.

It is expected that the winners will be announced by 6 p.m.

Supporters, clad in orange, amid the daytime heat have been dancing to music blasting from sound systems even as they mobilise voters.

Some 3,100 delegates are registered to vote today.

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