Alanna Warwick-Smith answers some commonly asked questions about Cayman's General Elections
Who can vote in the General Election?
To qualify to be an elector in the Cayman Islands, you must show proof of Caymanian citizenship, be over the age of 18, be a resident in the Cayman Islands at the date of registration, and have been a continuous resident of the Cayman Islands for more than 2 years in the 4 years before the election. All
voters who meet this criteria and are confirmed in the Register of Electors are
eligible to vote in the General Election.
Who can run in the General Election?
In order to qualify to run for election, candidates must meet specific criteria as outlined on official elections office website.
How many political parties are there in Cayman?
There are two political parties in the Cayman Islands. They are The Progressives and the United People's Movement. The leader of the Progressives is Roy McTaggart.
Unlike the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom, Cayman Islands political parties do not hold any real leaning – conservative or democratic – this is something that can often cause confusion!
What / who are people voting for?
There are 19 single member constituencies in the Cayman Islands. Voters head to the polls to vote for one person who will be responsible for their area. That person is who is held accountable for the issues/concerns of the constituents in that area.
How are the winners chosen?
The candidates win by a simple majority (if four people are running in a constituency of 1200 people, you would win with 401 votes).
How does the Premier get chosen?
Following the election, historically, the majority party would proceed to “form their government”. They would assign party members to a ministry and the leader of the party would become Premier.
Those who are not a part of the party, traditionally would become the “back bench” or “the opposition”.
In the event of a coalition government, the elected members would gather to determine how the Government will be formed and who will lead the country. Whichever party obtains a majority majority, they chose a leader to take over the seat of the Premier.
Are Public Holiday's Declared on General Election Days?
Yes, there is precedent for this to be the case. However, it is not guaranteed and each General election may be different.
When do we find out the result?
Results are usually out in the early hours (12am-2am) the day after an election. There is a window where results can be contested, but the initial results are usually counted within 12-24 hours. Traditionally you could follow elections coverage through Radio Cayman and the following digital channels: Cayman News Service, Cayman Compass, Cayman Marl Road and Cayman Current.