VOTER participation in Jamaica is weak and, according to research fellow at Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) Dr Stephen Johnson, is heading toward almost being non-existent — a statement he insists is not an exaggeration.

The waning interest in voting is not exclusive to Jamaica, but the country’s nosedive from making history in 1944 as the first country in the British Empire, barring Britain, to allow voting for all eligible adults regardless of race — outpacing larger British colonies like Canada, Australia and New Zealand — to being the country with the lowest voter turnout in the English-speaking Caribbean has researchers concerned.

They say, as the numbers drop, Vision 2030 Jamaica may also be at risk.

“Vision 2030 is an economic goal,” explained Dr Lloyd Waller, professor of Digital Transformation Policy and Governance at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), Mona and director of SALISES. “There’s a lot of empirical evidence that suggests that once democracy is fractured or weakened then it plays an important role in undermining economic development.”

Senior lecturer at The UWI, Dr Heather Ricketts joined Johnson and Waller during a July 15 SALISES seminar, sharing data on ‘Understanding the Uncommitted Voters in Jamaica’.

“Too much blood was shed by too many in the fight for universal adult suffrage, and so we have a duty as citizens to engage in the democratic process,” she urged.

Based on the voter turnout in general elections, the majority of Jamaicans may not share this sentiment.

Johnson explained during her presentation that voter turnout has been mostly trending downward since 1989’s high of 78 per cent. In the 2016 General Election, the country dropped below 50 per cent and further declined to 37 per cent in the 2020 General Election.

A strong democracy is predicated on a fundamental principle of majority rule. The Greek root word demokratia literally translates to ‘the people rule’.

Johnson indicated that once voter turnout dipped below 50 per cent, the minority was deciding the Government.

Speaking to the Jamaica Observer, Waller explained what a weakened democracy could mean for the country’s long-touted collective vision to become the place of choice to live, work, raise families, and do business by 2030.

“It undermines accountability. Public funds can be misallocated…There could also be wrong prioritisation of policies. There are so many different ways this can undermine economic development…it wastes public resources, reduces public policy stability, blocks inclusive growth, deters investment and innovation from overseas, [impacting] Vision 2030 because Vision 2030 is an economic imperative,” he said.

As the country’s first long-term development plan, spanning 21 years, Vision 2030 encompasses not just economic goals but also social, environmental and governance-related targets.

Waller, who, along with Johnson, co-authored the study on political ideology in Jamaica that informed the presentation at the SALISES seminar, explained two major reasons that interest in voting is waning.

“So there’s apathy, where people are disconnected from the political system because of various reasons, ranging from corruption, to lack of trust in the political system and our politicians, and then you have political efficacy, when you feel like your voice/vote doesn’t really matter and [people say], ‘Because it doesn’t matter, why bother?’ ” Waller explained to the Sunday Observer.

During the seminar, Johnson indicated several reasons voters were not exercising their franchise, including that the two major political parties — the People’s National Party and the Jamaica Labour Party — had failed to capture the interest of the undecided voters

According to Waller, reigniting that interest calls for a multi-pronged approach, beginning before Jamaicans even reach the voting age.

“One primary [solution] is going to be civics. Investing [in] civic education, revamping the school curricula to teach us not just how government works, but why civic action matters,” he said.

Waller also believes that the Government should give mandatory voting a try, but maintained that without civic education to support it, residents would just be voting for voting sake.

The researcher added, “[Using] social media, podcasts, animation, and storytelling to teach students about their rights and responsibilities in the democratic process and in some communities, education programmes for adults, including voter education workshops; we can leverage technology to do all of that.”

In addition, the lecturer is proposing restructuring of the electoral process to make it easier for ballots to be cast.

Waller suggested not only making voter registration automatic, but extending voting days, and making weekend voting, e-voting and absentee voting available.

This, he said, should work in tandem with the creation of more welcoming political spaces.

“You can recruit and support candidates who look at the communities that they come from, rebuild trust in institutions. If people believe that all politicians are corrupt, they’ll not participate. So you need to prosecute corruption,” he said.

WALLER…is proposing restructuring of the electoral process to make it easier for ballots to be cast

RICKETTS…we have a duty as citizens to engage in the democratic process