97 per cent of polling stations had everything required - CAFFE
Citizens Action for Free and Fair Election (CAFFE) says it has deployed 32 roving observers and 470 indoor observers for Wednesday’s General Election.
The watchdog group says reports received from these observers, between 9:00 am and 11:00 am, indicate that 94 per cent of polling stations were opened on time at 7:00 am and 97 per cent of them had all the necessary materials in place.
According to CAFFE, only about seven per cent of the polling stations reported any disruption to the voting process, and its investigations have revealed that these were minor in nature, while only two per cent of observers reported any disorderly conduct.
“Based on our reports, in 96 per cent of the polling stations, all the voters who were properly identified were allowed to vote. CAFFE will be investigating the reasons which may have accounted for any denials,” the group disclosed.
Some CAFFE observers encountered difficulty in gaining access to the polling stations. However, CAFFE was able to collaborate with the Electoral Office of Jamaica to have these situations resolved.
“CAFFE will continue to monitor the process for the rest of the day and will provide updates as required,” the group added.