THE chances of winning the St Andrew Eastern seat for People’s National Party (PNP) candidate Andre Hylton and his Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) opponent Fayval Williams seemed closer than ever yesterday if the number of supporters they brought with them to the nomination centre at Mona High School is any indication to go by.

Both candidates, who were followed down Mona Road and to the gates of the election centre by thick throngs of noisy green and orange-garbed supporters — many whose bodies were hanging out of vehicles despite renewed warnings from the police — said they were confident of taking home the marginal seat on February 25.

The incumbent Hylton, who was the first to arrive at the centre a little after 10:00 am, pranced about in the schoolyard with members of his campaign management team before entering the centre before returning officer Veda Fagan and her assistants to sign the nomination form and pay the $3,000 fee.

He told journalists afterwards that, “I’m very confident. We have an excellent team, we have put in the work for four years… we worked with the people, and we trust the people of eastern St Andrew to choose the MP who worked for them”.

Commenting on his slim 254-vote win over the JLP’s Dr Saphire Longmore in the 2011 general election, the St Andrew businessman said he was not worried.

“We are going to increase that margin,” he said, pointing out that the PNP had recovered from the 600-vote deficit which it suffered at the 2007 polls to win by those 254 votes in 2011. He said he expects the margin to increase again on February 25.

The JLP supporters were no less enthused as Williams’ team walked her into the nomination centre, erupting in chants of “Fayval!” as she affixed her signature to the form and submitted the fee.

With the deed done, Williams said, “It’s a day that we have been waiting for; we are glad it’s here… They (supporters) can’t wait for election day. We are very confident in a victory. We have been doing the work, making sure that we understand the issues that people care about. It’s been a wonderful journey so far, together we will go forward.”

The chartered financial analysts said she intends to tackle youth unemployment in St Andrew Eastern and that constituents could expect her to push for improvements such as proper street lighting, rehabilitation of roads, more frequent garbage collection and improved water supply.

According to the Electoral Office of Jamaica’s statistics, the results from the 2011 general election show that there are 22 marginal seats across the island the closest being Hugh Buchanan’s 13-vote win over then JLP incumbent Dr Christopher Tufton in South West St Elizabeth.