Electoral Commission of Jamaica

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) is the independent statutory agency of the Government of Jamaica responsible for organising, conducting and supervising elections, by-elections and referenda.[2]

Electoral Commission of Jamaica
Agency overview
FormedDecember 1, 2006 (2006-12-01)
Preceding agency
  • Electoral Advisory Committee
JurisdictionGovernment of Jamaica
HeadquartersKingston
Agency executives
  • Earl Jarrett, Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Jamaica [1]
  • Glasspole Brown, Director of Elections
Websiteecj.com.jm
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Objective of the Electoral Commission

The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act (2006)[3] defines the objective of the Electoral Commission as:

"to safeguard the democratic foundations of Jamaica by enabling eligible electors to elect, through free and fair elections, their representatives to govern Jamaica."

Functions of the Electoral Commission

The functions of the Electoral Commission are defined by law and in summary are

  1. Establish policies for governing the registration of electors
  2. Conduct general elections, local government elections, by-elections or referenda
  3. Compile and maintain the register of eligible electors
  4. Verify the identity of eligible electors
  5. Approve political parties eligible to receive state funding
  6. administer electoral funding and financial disclosure requirements
  7. monitor election expenditure by candidates or their official agents
  8. review the number of constituencies and boundaries
  9. determine polling divisions within constituencies

History

Formation of the Electoral Commission

In October 2006, the House of Representatives and the Senate passed the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006, which established the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ). The Commission replaced the Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) that had been established by the Representation of the People Act 1979[4][5]

The day-to-day operations of the ECJ are carried out through the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) which is a public government agency established in 1943 to administer the holding of Parliamentary and Local Government Elections.

The holding of Parliamentary and Local Government Elections and all activities pertinent to these elections are regulated by the Representation of People Act and the Local Governance Act.

Previous Electoral Advisory Committee

The Electoral Advisory Committee (EAC) was established in 1979, dissolved in 2006 and replaced by the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ). Errol Miller was the last Chairman of the EAC, from December 2000 to December 2006, and the first Chairman of the ECJ from December 2006 to December 2012.

Membership

Membership of the Electoral Commission is governed by the Electoral Commission (Interim) Act (2006).[3] The Commission has nine members appointed by the Governor-General, as follows:

  1. Four Nominated Commissioners, two nominated the Prime Minister and two nominated by the Leader of the Opposition
  2. Four Selected Commissioners jointly agreed upon by both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
  3. The eight Commissioners unanimously nominate the Director of Elections
  4. The Commissioners also nominate one their number to be Chairman of the Commission

Selected Commissioners and the Director of Elections are appointed for a period of seven years, while Nominated Commissioners serve for four years.[6] The Director of Elections and the Selected Commissioners are disqualified by law to vote in any General or Local Government Elections or Referenda.

List of Electoral Commissioners

Current Commissioners
Current Commissioners[7]
Name Role Since Term ends
Hon. Earl JarrettChairman [8]March 5, 2013February 28, 2027
Hon. Karl HarrisonSelected CommissionerMarch 1, 2014February 28, 2021
Prof. Alvin G. WintSelected CommissionerMarch 1, 2014February 28, 2021
Hon. Zaila McCallaSelected Commissioner [9]January 1, 2020December 31, 2027
GlassPole BrownDirector of ElectionsApril 16, 2018April 15, 2025
Hon. Thomas Tavares-FinsonNominated Commissioner (JLP)June 1, 2005May 31, 2021
Wensworth SkefferyNominated Commissioner (PNP)January 1, 2018December 31, 2022
Dr. Aundre FranklinNominated Commissioner (JLP)December 1, 2010November 30, 2022
Julian J. RobinsonNominated Commissioner (PNP)July 1, 2017June 30, 2021

Former commissioners
Former Commissioners
Name Role Since Term ends
Hon. Dorothy Pine-McLartySelected CommissionerDecember 18, 2000December 31, 2019
Dr. Herbert ThompsonSelected Commissioner20002013
Hon. Clarence WalkerSelected Commissioner20062014
Prof. Hon. Errol MillerSelected CommissionerNovember 1, 2006December 31, 2012
Hon. Danville WalkerDirector of Elections19972008
Orrete FisherDirector of ElectionsNovember 1, 2008March 2018
Hon. Karl SamudaNominated Commissioner (JLP)November 1, 20062010
Dr. D. K. DuncanNominated Commissioner (PNP)December 1, 2010December 31, 2014
Donald BuchananNominated Commissioner (PNP)November 1, 20062010
Paul BurkeNominated Commissioner (PNP)March 2015June 30, 2017
Linton WaltersNominated Commissioner (PNP)20022008
Peter BuntingNominated Commissioner (PNP)2008

References
  1. "Earl Jarrett selected as ECJ chairman". Jamaica Gleaner. June 2, 2020. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  2. "Electoral Commission of Jamaica". Electoral Commission of Jamaica. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  3. "Electoral Commission (Interim) Act". Ministry of Justice (Jamaica). Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  4. "Representation of the People Act 1979". Ministry of Justice (Jamaica). Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  5. "Political Database of the Americas". Georgetown University. Retrieved 2020-08-27.
  6. Daraine Luton (September 14, 2015). "ECJ wants staggering of appointment of the selected commissioners". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 2020-09-27.
  7. "Members of the Electoral Commission". Electoral Commission of Jamaica. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  8. "Earl Jarrett appointed Chairman of Electoral Commission of Jamaica". LoopJamaica. June 3, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  9. "Zaila McCalla Appointed ECJ Commissioner". Electoral Commission of Jamaica. February 24, 2020. Retrieved September 4, 2020.
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