The unions are pressing for the government to resign and call new elections. But new elections now could create a nightmare for Belize's 130,000 voters. The reason is because Belize's electoral map has been revamped and the division you voted in 2 years ago might not be the division you vote at in the next election.
It's called redistricting or re-division and has taken whole blocks of voters from one division and assigned them to another. 25 of the existing divisions have been realigned and expanded to create more equality among divisions. There are now 31 divisions and somewhere in that mix your electoral division may have changed. The Elections Department held a forum this morning to explain.
Myrtle Palacio, Chief Elections Officer
"There is no need to re-register which is what I've been hearing. You remain where you are. You are a registered elector."
You won't need to re-register but according to these new electoral maps, thousand of voters will be redistricted into 31 divisions. That means where you voted in the last election may not be where you vote in the next one. Chief Elections Officer Myrtle Palacio says the solution is simple: forget your division's name and remember your polling station number.
Myrtle Palacio,
"People know their polling area and people know where they vote but they just have to be aware that that polling area may have changed to another division. We use Queen Square where Queen Square had two polling areas. Each division is divided into polling areas. Queen's Square now will absorb polling area no. 21 which was in Port Loyola. So if you were living in polling area 21, whatever those streets are, and people do know their area, physically you will still be voting in that polling area but the division will be in Queen's Square and vice a versa. We also use the example of Fort George, which absorbs a part of polling area 7. So if you're living in polling area 7, you physically vote at that area but now you'll be voting in the Fort George constituency. So my role is to adjust the records."
Port Loyola Area Representative Anthony "Boots" Martinez will lose 2,000 constituents but he isn't complaining.
Hon. Anthony "Boots" Martinez, Port Loyola Area Representative
"I think the changes have been long overdue. Like for example in Port Loyola I had close to 6,000 registered voters and a large mass of land to cover. I have lost polling area and a piece of the other. I went from 5,740 votes to about 3,900 votes. I have lost a whole polling area but in other words I haven't inherited a new area. The area there existed before. Yes I lost some reasonable support but it gives me great fighting power in regards to looking on a smaller area to deliver the basic goods and services."
Keith Swift,
"What's going to happen to people in Port Loyola who voted for Boots Martinez and now they because of the change they end up in Queen's Square. What's going to happen in the interim? Who is going to be their representative?
Myrtle Palacio,
"That's a good question. Maybe you can help me answer. The law just speaks to the fact that when we go the next general elections is when it comes into effect."
And with all these changes - what if the unions get their demand and elections are called tomorrow.
Myrtle Palacio,
"We at Elections and Boundaries stand ready. We always have a plan B. in 6 weeks we mobilized to go into three elections in one day. I am not about to embark on anymore of this kind of thing. If it comes, it comes. If it doesn't come then we are also prepared."
Belmopan and Cayo North East are the two new divisions. Until a general elections is called, you will continue to be represented by the elected area rep. in the division prior to the re-districting. For example voters will in Belmopan City will continue to be represented by John Saldivar who is current the Cayo South Area Representative. When a new election is called, Saldivar will most likely run for the Belmopan Division and not Cayo South. A provisional register of voters for the 31 divisions will be available at Election and Boundary Offices as of Thursday May 5th. You will have ten days to make objections or corrections. A side note is that if a bye-election is called before the next general elections, the old list will be in effect. For example only the old Albert Division will be able to vote - not the newly re-districted division.
You can find out more about redistricting on the Elections and Boundaries Website.
