Cayman Islands electoral district maps at libraries/Meetings begin/ 19 seats proposed
2. The Electoral Boundary Commission will hold two final public meetings to discuss the new proposed electoral district maps. These will be held on Tuesday, 7 July 2015, at 5.30pm at the George Town Town Hall and on Wednesday 8 July at the Savannah United Church Hall at 5.30pm. Final written submissions to the Commission must be received by 8 July.
WHAT DOES ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE MEAN?
The principle of “one person, one vote” is that the vote of one elector should be equal to the vote of any other elector.
The principle allows the vote of each citizen to exert an equal influence on the forming of the legislature, regardless of the constituency in which they are registered to vote.
In the context of single member constituencies, the principle of one person, one vote
means that the constituencies should have a relatively equal number of electors.
WHAT DOES SINGLE MEMBER CONSTITUENCIES MEAN?
A single member constituency is an electoral district (Geographical Area) that returns one member to the Legislative Assembly. Each voter will be able to vote for only one candidate standing in his constituency. The voter will not be able to vote for a candidate who is not standing in the voter’s constituency.
MEMBERSHIP
In keeping with Section 88 of the Cayman
Islands Constitutional Order 2009 the following members Her Excellency the Governor appointed to the 2015 Electoral Boundaries Commission:
• Dr Lisa Handley, Chairman Appointed by the Governor
• Ms Adriannie E. Webb, member Appointed by The Governor in consultation with the Premier
• Mr Steve McField, member Appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Leader of the Opposition.
MANDATE
Government Motion No. 1/2014-15 –
The Cayman Islands Constitution Order
2009, SI. 2009 No. 1379:
• BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT the Legislative Assembly agrees that the Governor should be invited, in accordance with section 88 of the Constitution, to appoint an Electoral Boundary Commission;
• AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT following the making of an Order by the Governor, pursuant to section 89(6) of the Constitution, for the determination of the boundaries of the electoral districts of the Cayman Islands, the Government thereafter submits to the Legislative Assembly a Billto make the necessary amendments to the Elections Law (2013 Revision) in accordance with the said Order to enable the establishment of single member electoral districts in the Cayman Islands, with each elector having one vote;
• AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the process be completed in good time so as to ensure that the General Elections due in 2017 are
conducted on the basis of single member electoral districts with each elector having one vote.
OUR AUTHORITY
The 2015 Electoral Boundary Commission
is authorized by Section 88 and 89 of the
Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009:
• Section (88) (6) An Electoral Boundary Commission may regulate its own procedure and, with the consent of the Governor, confer powers and impose duties on any public officer or on any authority of the Government for the purpose of the discharge of its functions.
• Section (88) (9) In the exercise of its functions under this Constitution, an Electoral Boundary Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.
GUIDANCE & CONSULTATION
• Section (88) (7) For the purpose of the discharge of its functions, an Electoral Boundary Commission shall invite views from the members of the public and may seek such advice as it considers appropriate.
• 89.—(1) An Electoral Boundary Commission shall, as soon as practicable after its appointment, review the boundaries of the electoral districts into which the Cayman Islands are divided and, taking into account the changes or proposed changes, if any, in the number of electoral districts or of elected members of the Legislative Assembly, shall submit a report to the Governor and the Legislative Assembly containing its recommendations for any changes in the number and boundaries of the electoral districts.
(2) In preparing its report under this section the Commission shall—
(a) take no account of the racial distribution of electors within the Cayman Islands;
(b) take into account the natural boundaries within the Cayman Islands;
(c) have regard to existing electoral districts; and
(d) subject to the foregoing provisions of this subsection, ensure that—
(i) so far as reasonably practicable, across all electoral districts there will be an equal ratio between the number of elected members of the Legislative Assembly representing each electoral district and the number of persons qualified to be registered as electors under section 90 in that district; but
(ii) Cayman Brac and Little Cayman shall (between these two islands) at all times return at least two members to the Legislative Assembly.
PROCESS
The Electoral Boundary commission
may consider the following:
• Review of official Population data
• Trend of demographic changes
• Review of proposed Planning
Department land use data
• Review of existing Electoral boundaries
• Review of existing Land parcels
• Review of existing register of electors
• Public input
WHEN WOULD ANY CHANGES BE EFFECTIVE? Any changes to boundaries or number of representatives recommended by the Electoral Boundary Commission, and approved by the Legislative assembly are expected to come into force for the May 2017 Elections.
Please see attached for all the MAPS and the FACT SHEET
To enlarge click on image