Town Board elections on Wednesday

In case you haven’t noticed amidst the tensions with Guatemala and the murder of another child in Belize City, the Town Board Elections are on Wednesday. 31,026 people have registered to vote in Wednesday’s Town Board election and the first Belmopan city council election. Chief Elections Officer Myrtle Palacio said Belize’s political culture has demonstrated that we have had free and fair elections and on March 1st the proceedings will be conducted in a fair manner. There are three political parties contesting the municipal elections and a number of independent candidates. The polling stations open from 6:00 in the morning until 6:00 in the evening. Voters are urged to get out early and cast their votes.

Myrtle Palacio, Chief Elections Officer

“Well at elections and boundaries for our officers, our elections officers to give them support to know the law because we are ruled by Representations of the People’s Act, when it comes to

continuous registration and the local government laws, when it comes to city council and town council and elections. We have trained about two hundred and seventy-two public officers countrywide in each town to be prepared like a day like tomorrow. We have also met at the central office with the political parties, with media houses so people can understand what roles?what the roles are and to get exchange ideas.

For those who are registered to vote I am asking them to please make sure that the ballot papers are signed by the presiding officer and to please cooperate to have their index finger dipped in the indelible ink. We are also asking voters to please come out and vote. There is a hundred yard limit according to the law, to give voters time to pass that hundred yards to be able to think peacefully on who they are suppose to vote for.”

Palacio says while she does not expect a hundred percent of the registered voters to turn out she remains optimistic that the number will be much higher than previous town board elections.