Dominica’s eligible voters more than population

Last Updated on Wednesday, 19 November 2014, 21:58 by GxMedia

Dominica’s Electoral Commission has announced that the number of eligible voters for next month’s elections is more than that island’s population.

Figures show that there are 72,489 eligible voters for the general election set for December 8. However, based on the last census the total population of that island is 72,301.

Former Dominican  Ambassador to the United Nations, Chrispin Gregoire believes the Electoral Commission is to be blamed for the state of the Electoral list in Dominica and over the past five years.

He says a previous electoral observer mission by the Organisation of American States (OAS) had highlighted a number of deficiencies that  have not been addressed.

His comments were made as he addressed a live radio panel discussion on “Good Governance in Dominica.

The Chief Elections Officer, Steven La Rocque, however, says that Dominica’s electoral laws provide for continuous registration and a claims and objections period, rather than a fresh re-registration of all eligible voters.