THE Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) said that effective Thursday, January 13, requests for letters of identity at its head office in downtown Kingston will be processed as a next-day service.

“Previously, electors could request a letter of identity at 43 Duke Street, Kingston, and receive it on the same day. However, with this new adjustment, electors who request the letter at this location will be required to collect it on the following day,” the EOJ said in release.

“Over the last week, we have observed large gatherings at the head office daily as individuals come to request and collect letters of identity. Out of concern for the health and well-being of our staff and for our electors, we have decided to shift from same-day processing to a next-day service for letters of identity in order to better manage the process. We recognise that the new variant of the COVID-19 virus is highly contagious and therefore we are taking even greater precautions,” the release quoted Glasspole Brown, director of elections.

He cited concern for the health and wellness of the EOJ’s staff as well as the public as the main reason for the change.

Each day, electors who are requesting the letter and those who are collecting will be processed separately at the EOJ’s head office.

Since January 3, 2022, electors who are in the process of renewing their voter ID card and are awaiting the new card may request a letter of identity from the EOJ to be used as a provisional identification document in the interim.