Elector education campaign underway

The Elections and Boundaries Department has embarked on a public awareness campaign. Today a voter’s day was held at the Belize Biltmore Plaza to emphasize to the electorate their right to vote and to encourage those who have not registered to do so. An information booklet on the department has also been produced.

Voter’s Day is intended not only to honor the electors for their role in Belize’s democracy, but also to educate them about the role of the Elections and Boundaries Department. Contrary to public perception, the department does not only deal with elections and voters who have already registered.

Myrtle Palacio, Chief Elections Officer

“That was also the impression of the staff but we are trying now to be pro-active, not to wait for a potential elector, electors to come to us, we are going out there. We can’t have the politicians do our jobs for us.

There are other functions like the constituency matters. Looking at the size of boundaries and the demarcation of boundaries and so on as well as education which has never really been attempted at Elections and Boundaries.”

Myrtle Palacio the Chief Elections Officer says she believes a pro-active approach can also help restore public confidence in the electoral process. People need to remember that the voters, not the politicians, are the key players.

Myrtle Palacio

“This is really launching our public awareness, our public education campaign. Voters, electors are one of the most important stakeholders in our democracy. They are our most important clients at Elections and Boundaries in that they are the persons that vote for leaders to govern, to run the country.”

A highlight of the day’s event included the launch of “Selecting our Leaders – Past and Present”. The booklet focuses on the history of voting in Belize from the public meetings of the 1700s to the present day, voter registration trends, elections after Independence, electoral boundaries, as well as the functions of the Elections and Boundaries Department. It also has valuable information on town board councilors elected from 1963 to 1997 and a complete list of all current members of the Cabinet, the members of the House and the Senate.

Palacio says the biggest challenge ahead will be the redistricting exercise. It will involve extensive public consultations before the proposal is forwarded to the Elections and Boundaries Commission and ultimately the National Assembly.