The Electoral Office informs the public of the withdrawal of independent candidates Vincia Casey and Dr. Irvin Pascal as candidates for General Elections on December 6, 2022.
Ms. Casey and Dr. Pascal were nominated on November 18th, 2022, in the Salybia and St Joseph constituencies, respectively. Candidates have until 7 clear days before an election to withdraw their candidacy, forfeiting their deposit.
This means that neither the names of Ms. Casey nor Dr. Pascal will appear on the ballot in these constituencies on polling day now that they have both informed the returning officer in their respective constituencies of their withdrawal in accordance with section 20 of the House of Assembly (Elections)
Act (Chap. 2:01) which prescribes the method for Withdrawal of candidature. Section 20 states:
- Any candidate duly nominated may, not less than seven clear days before the day fixed for taking the poll, withdraw from his candidature by giving notice to the effect, signed by him, to the returning officer, provided that on the withdrawal there remains not less than one duly nominated candidate.
- If any such candidate withdraws from his candidature in accordance with subsection (1), or dies, before the day fixed for taking the poll, the returning officer shall forthwith give public notice of the withdrawal or death in the prescribed manner; and if on the withdrawal or death there remains only
one duly nominated candidate, the returning officer shall forthwith declare such candidate to have been elected, and shall immediately thereafter certify by endorsement on the writ of election the return of such candidate in Form 17, and shall return the writ so endorsed to the Chief Elections
Officer for transmission to the President within the time for that purpose specified therein.
In both the Salybia and St Joseph Constituencies, there have been multiple candidates nominated, therefore a poll will be conducted on election day with only the remaining candidates’ names appearing on the ballot.
The Electoral Office assures the general public that it has completed all preparations ahead of the December 6 polls and encourages all to exercise their democratic right to cast their ballots.
