KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) has confirmed that all preparations are complete for the general election and local government by-elections set for Wednesday, September 3.

A total of 7,294 polling stations at 2,153 locations across the island will be open from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm, after which the preliminary ballot count will take place inside the polling stations.

Director of Elections Glasspole Brown said the EOJ has finalised key arrangements, including the printing of ballots and voters’ lists, and the distribution of ballot boxes and supplies.

“Returning officers commenced their meetings with teams on Sunday, with the final set of briefings scheduled for today,” said Brown.

In total, 190 candidates will be on the ballot, 184 contesting the general election and six vying in the by-elections. Four political parties are participating: the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), People’s National Party (PNP), Jamaica Progressive Party (JPP) and the United Independents’ Congress (UIC).

Election day will be monitored by local observer group Citizens Action for Free & Fair Elections (CAFFE) and international observer missions from the Organization of American States (OAS), the Caribbean Community (Caricom), and delegations from the British High Commission, the United States Embassy, and the European Union.

The process will also be overseen by the Election Centre, which manages incident reports, resolutions and updates to the media, as well as the Constituted Authority, which has the power to halt or void elections if necessary.

Electors who are unsure of their polling station are encouraged to visit the Electoral Commission of Jamaica’s website at www.ecj.com.jm, use the “check my status” feature, contact their constituency office, or call the EOJ’s toll-free helpline at 888-991-VOTE (8683) or (876) 922-0425-9.