Electoral reform seems to have come to occupy a prominent position in the national discourse in recent times, and if one thing is true, it is the fact that we need electoral reform and it is needed urgently. If our nation’s democracy stands a chance of survival, the electoral system must be reformed – if not completely overhauled.
Free and Fair elections are the heartbeat of democracy, and where reform is threatened, the status quo grows uncontrollably powerful, the people suffer and there democratic backsliding. It is for this reasons that electoral reform in Dominica is front and center in the Alternative Peoples’ Party (APP’s) plans and objectives. In fact, we believe that a comprehensive overhaul of the system should be done before the next General Elections which are constitutionally due in 2025.
With that said, APP has initiated a cleansing of the list of electors by objection. The idea which was launched on our radio program, ‘The Peoples’ Hour on Q’ on July 10, 2020, is intended to mobilize members of the public to take action by placing objection petitions against questionable names on the list of electors.
We also launched APP’s Vote In Place (VIP) initiative which will complement the cleansing exercise, by allowing citizens who resides overseas an opportunity to exercise their franchise to vote. APP believes also that we should be more inclusive and that Dominicans at home and abroad have equally important roles to play in nation building, so VIP will address this. We aim to aid voter-famishment with this bold new VIP idea.
VIP will establish, among other things, two additional hemispheric constituencies to the Dominican Parliament – one in the north and one in the south. Dominican citizens (by birth) who reside on either one of the hemispheres, and who do not meet the residency requirements to vote on island (following the cleansing of the list), will vote in place from where they reside.
The vote will be done electronically for a representative who will address Diasporian affairs, and also assist with improving the local economy by coordinating international efforts and promoting new global initiatives to sensitize the Dominican economy, especially in the advent of the Coronavirus pandemic.
It is our view that, if the authorities keep to the promise to proceed with urgent reform talks, Dominica will have a fully reformed electoral system way before the next general elections. APP is expecting to be included in any and every reform exercise.
Please find excerpts of our earlier media presentation on the above:
- VIP Policy (Media Draft)
- Tahira Blanchard on Cleansing by Objection
- Sharon Vidal on VIP
The future of Dominica is our collective destiny. Let’s not shirk in our responsibility.
Tahira Blanchard
Interim President.
