As we told you at the top of the newscast – 88,627 electors will be eligible to vote in two cities and seven towns in tomorrow’s municipal election. The Elections and Boundaries Department anticipates and has prepared for high turnout – even though the streets - in the city at least - are definitely not pulsing with pre-election hype. And what is on the minds of voters? Will they vote? – and most importantly – who they think will win? Keith Swift sampled opinions today.
Keith Swift Reporting,
The voters we met out here on Albert Street were for the most part undecided. Many that we talked to hadn’t decided yet if they will vote and then there were those who had decided to vote but weren’t sure who they will vote for.
Woman #1: I don’t know who to vote for.
Man #1: I am going to vote but I don’t know who I am going to vote for.
KS: When will you make up your mind?
Man #1: Well for me I am a very quick thinker and when I reach the location and I get my papers and my information and things I should do I will be straight.
Woman #2: I don’t know what I will do yet because I had gone away for four months and I just came back and I don’t know who the run from who is not so I have to decide what I will do.
KS: So you’re not looking forward to election day?
Woman #2: Yes I am looking forward but then I have to see who is running and decide who I will vote for.
KS: You have a short period of time to do that. When will you decide?
Woman #2: Well between now and dah morning I will do it.
Man #2: Of course I will vote tomorrow.
KS: Have you already made up your mind?
Man #2: Of course I’ve made up my mind who I am going to vote for tomorrow. I know which party deserves to run this city for the next three years again. So I will support my party as usual.
KS: Have any of the ads you’ve seen on TV affected your decision making?
Man #2: No because I already know this is politics time and when politics time those are the kind of things you will see ‘bout to try deceive you but you can’t let those things deceive you because once you make that happen you will make the wrong choice. But I have already made up my mind and nothing I see on TV can’t deceive me because I already know what’s going on with politics.
Man #3: No because I am not registered.
KS: How old are you?
Man #3: 19.
KS: Why didn’t you register to vote?
Man #3: Because politics is not my thing. I am not really into it.
Woman #3: I haven’t decided yet.
KS: Why are you indecisive?
Woman #3: Because you don’t know who to believe anymore. You see some of the work done yes from each side but they have too much problems.
Stephen Okeke: I strongly believe I should vote.
KS: You believe that but will you vote?
Stephen Okeke: I will vote.
KS: Have you already made up your mind?
Stephen Okeke: Not necessarily. I think I am tilting more than one side or the other but not necessarily.
And while there were voters who won’t vote, who will vote, and who might vote – the one thing they all had in common was an opinion on who will win.
Stephen Okeke: Who I think will win? Well right now you can’t say who you think will win because Belizeans are not seeming to be as expressive and committed as they were before. Remember how it happened the previous election, everything seemed alright until the downfall was so tremendous. So you can’t say exactly who will win based on how people are reacting right now. You just have to cross your finger.
Rhenae Nunez: I think Mayor Moya is going to win. The why she is going, how she is going to win, is another question.
Woman #4: Well I think the same party will win back, definitely.
Man #4: UDP will win, Zenaida. Zenaida will whip them badly too. Nobody can beat Zenaida.
Woman #5: Well I think UDP will win.
KS: Why you think that?
Woman #5: Because PUP messed up the place too long and people are tired of it. At least for me, and I will stand up in their face and tell them that I wish that the PUP would dead and throw the dirt on them, completely wiped out and then I want another one take over their space.
Woman #6: I have no idea.
KS: Think hard.
Woman #6: I don’t study politics. You want me to say Zenaida is ahead huh?
KS: No I am just asking who you think will win.
Woman #6: I don’t even know who else is going up.
KS: It is Zenaida versus Cecil Reneau.
Woman #6: Ok hmm…well maybe Zenaida win.
Man #5: Who I will vote for will win.
