Tufton wants laws around voter intent reviewed

In the aftermath of a fiercely contested magisterial recount in the Ginger Ridge division of St Catherine West Central, Dr Christopher Tufton, the member of parliament for the constituency, has called for a thorough reassessment of laws relating to voter intent. 

The recount, held in the St Catherine Parish Court, saw former deputy mayor of the St Catherine municipal corporation, Ralston Wilson, declared the winner against Jamaica Labour Party challenger Jeremiah Edwards by a slim margin of seven votes.

Addressing reporters, Tufton expressed concern regarding what he said were inconsistencies in determining voter intent during the recount, particularly noting the rejection of some ballots due to the use of a tick instead of an X.

He emphasised the need for specificity in the law surrounding voter intent, acknowledging his role as a legislator in addressing this issue. "The truth is we will need to look at the law around voter intent to make it more specific, and as a legislator, I understand my responsibility in so doing," Tufton declared.

Tufton signaled his intention to file an election petition, citing a lack of confidence in the electoral process. He also stressed that his actions were not driven by anger over losing.

"Filing the election petition is not because of sour grapes but because of a lack of confidence that the will of the people is expressed through the majority vote process of one man, one vote," Tufton affirmed.

The MP highlighted various issues encountered during the recount, including unsealed envelopes, missing statements of poll, confusion over keys to open ballot boxes, and discrepancies in ballot markings. He asserted that these challenges compromised the integrity of the electoral process, further underscoring the urgency of reviewing existing laws.

"I am using this case scenario as a member of parliament and chairman of the constituency to support the pace of that review," Tufton explained, emphasising the need for swift action on this matter.

- Ruddy Mathison

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