Info
Boundary Delimitation
BD001
Delimitation of constituencies
Question: Are constituencies delimited for election purposes?
Answer:
a . Yes
Comments: Section 67 (1) Subject to the provisions of section 66 of this Constitution, Jamaica shall, for the purpose of election of members to the House of Representatives, be divided into such number of constituencies, being not less than forty-five nor more than sixty-five, as may from time to time be provided by Order made by the Governor-General under this section.
Source: Jamaica Constitution Order in Council, 1962. Section 67.
Verified: 2025/09/18
BD003
Criteria for drawing boundaries
Question: On what criteria are the boundaries drawn?
Answer(s):
a . "Equality" of population b . Respecting natural barriers d . Conformity with local jurisdiction boundaries
Comments:
Source: Jamaica (Constitution) Order in Council 1962; Section 67; Second Schedule; Articles 1-5
Verified: 2025/09/18
BD005
Body responsible for drawing boundaries
Question: The body responsible for drawing the boundaries is:
Answer(s):
a . Legislature (1st chamber)
Comments: (2) As soon as practicable after the House of Representatives first meets after the appointed day or following any general election there shall be established a Standing Committee of the House consisting of-
(a) the Speaker, as Chairman;
(b) three members of the House appointed by the Prime Minister; and
(c) three members of the House appointed by the Leader of the Opposition.
(3) It shall be the function of the Standing Committee to keep under continuous review-
(a) the number of constituencies into which Jamaica is to be divided; and
(b) the boundaries of such constituencies.
Source: Jamaica Constitution Order in Council, 1962. Section 67(2)
Verified: 2025/09/18
Electoral Systems
ES001
Head of State
Question: How is the Head of State selected?
Answer(s):
f . Inherited monarchy with a Governor appointed by the Monarch
Comments: There shall be a Governor-General of Jamaica who shall be appointed by Her Majesty and shall hold office during Her Majesty's pleasure and who shall be Her Majesty's representative in Jamaica.
Source: Jamaica Constitution Order in Council, 1962. Section 27
Verified: 2025/09/18
ES002
Head of Government
Question: How is the Head of Government selected?
Answer:
e . Appointed
Comments: Whenever the Governor-General has occasion to appoint a Prime Minister he, acting in his discretion, shall appoint the member of the House of Representatives who, in his judgment, is best able to command the confidence of a majority of the members of that House and shall, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, appoint from among the members of the two Houses such number of other Ministers as the Prime Minister may advise.
Source: Constitution, art. 70
Verified: 2025/09/18
ES003
President
Question: Does the country have a president?
Answer:
b . No
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 27
Verified: 2011/05/23
ES004
Number of Chambers
Question: The national legislature consists of (one/two chambers):
Answer:
b . Two chambers
Comments: There shall be a Parliament of Jamaica which shall consist of Her Majesty, a Senate and a House of Representatives.
Source: Constitution, art. 34
Verified: 2025/09/18
ES005
Electoral System (Chamber 1)
Question: What is the electoral system for Chamber 1 of the national legislature?
Answer(s):
a . Plurality (FPTP)
Comments:
Source: Constitution, art. 66 & 67
Verified: 2025/09/18
Legislative Framework
LF001
Status of Electoral Law
Question: What is the status of the electoral law governing national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Part of Constitution b . Separate legislation
Comments:
Source: Constitution Art. 37-38. Representation of the People Act
Verified: 2025/09/18
LF003
Electoral Law covers
Question: The national electoral law covers:
Answer(s):
a . National elections
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2025/09/18
LF004
Compulsory/voluntary voting
Question: Is voting on the national level voluntary or compulsory?
Answer(s):
a . Voting is voluntary
Comments:
Source: International IDEA Voter Turnout Website (http://www.idea.int/vt/)
Verified: 2025/09/18
LF007
Electoral Disputes Agency(ies)
Question: What are the agency(ies) responsible for the first level of formal electoral disputes?
Answer(s):
a . Judiciary
Comments:
Source: Representation of the People Act, art 47
Verified: 2011/08/01
Electoral Management
EM002
Responsibility of national EMB
Question: Does the national electoral body have the responsibility for elections at:
Answer(s):
a . National level c . Local level
Comments: The Electoral Commission of Jamaica is responsible for the conduct of general or by-elections for members to serve in the House of Representatives, Parish Council or as mayor of a municipality.
Source: The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006, Art 6(c)
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM004
EMB budget determined by
Question: The budget of the national electoral management body is determined by:
Answer(s):
c . The legislature
Comments: “To safeguard the independence of the Commission, its budget, once approved by the Parliament, will be provided directly by the Ministry of Finance and the Commission will be subject to the established accountability requirements under the Financial Administration and Audit Act."
Source: https://jis.gov.jm/house-approves-report-for-electoral-commission/#:~:text=The%20Commission%20will%20be%20required,the%20Leader%20of%20the%20Opposition.
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM005
EMB expenditures controlled by
Question: The expenditures of the national electoral management body are controlled by:
Answer(s):
d . A national government department
Comments: Ministry of Finance
Source: https://jis.gov.jm/house-approves-report-for-electoral-commission/#:~:text=The%20Commission%20will%20be%20required,the%20Leader%20of%20the%20Opposition.
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM006
Term of EMB members
Question: The term of the members of the national electoral management body is:
Answer:
b . For a specified number of years
Comments: The appointment of the four selected commissioners and the Director of Elections is seven years. Nominated commissioners are appointed for four years. However the Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition may change their respective nominees at any time during the course of their appointment.
Source: The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006, First Schedule (4)
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM012
Electoral Management model
Question: What is the Electoral Management model?
Answer:
b . Independent
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM013
Number of EMB members
Question: The EMB is composed of:
Answer:
a . 1 - 10 members (specify)
Comments: The Electoral Commission is composed of 9 members.
Source: The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006, First Schedule (1)
Verified: 2025/09/18
EM014
Membership based on
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected on the basis of their:
Answer:
c . Combination of partisanship and expertise
Comments: The membership in the Electoral Commission is based on a combination of party and expert membership, while the Director of Elections is an expert-based position.
Source: The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006
Verified: 2012/02/20
EM015
Question: The EMB members/commissioners are selected by:
Answer(s):
a . Head of State b . Head of Government d . Opposition i . Other
Comments:
Source: The Electoral Commission (Interim) Act 2006
Verified: 2025/09/18
Voter Education
VE001
Information campaigns performed by
Question: Who conducts information campaigns for national elections (informing where, when and how to register and/or vote)?
Answer(s):
a . National Electoral Management Body
Comments: The Electoral Commission of Jamaica employs a public education officer in the office of the Director of Elections, and is chiefly responsible for voter education.
Source: The Electoral Commission of Jamaica 2011
Verified: 2025/09/22
VE002
Frequency of voter education programs
Question: At the national level, how often are voter education programs conducted?
Answer:
a . Continuously
Comments: Voter education is ongoing but is intensified during the election period.
Source: The Electoral Commission of Jamaica 2011
Verified: 2012/01/23
VE003
National civic education
Question: Is there a national civic education campaign (rights and responsibilities of citizens)?
Answer(s):
b . Yes, conducted by the National Electoral Management Body h . Yes, conducted by NGOs/ Civic Organizations
Comments:
Source:
Verified: 2025/09/22
Voter Registration
VR001
Voting age
Question: What is the legal voting age in the national elections?
Answer:
c . 18
Comments:
Source: Constitution, Art. 37
Verified: 2025/09/22
VR002
Other voting requirements
Question: Beyond age, what other qualifications exist for registering to vote and voting in the national elections?
Answer(s):
a . Citizenship b . Period of Residence
Comments: 37 (1) Subject to the provisions of subsection (2) of this section a person shall be qualified to be
registered as an elector for elections to the House of Representatives if, and shall not be so
qualified unless, he is -
a. a citizen of Jamaica resident in Jamaica at the date of registration, or
b. Commonwealth citizen (other than a citizen of Jamaica) who is resident in Jamaica at
the date of registration and who has been so resident for at least twelve months
immediately preceding that date, and has attained the prescribed age.
Source: Constitution, Art. 37
Verified: 2025/09/22
VR004
Authority responsible for voter registration
Question: Which is the authority responsible for the registration of voters for national elections?
Answer:
d . Election Management Body (specify)
Comments: The Chief Electoral Officer shall every six months or at such other intervals as the Minister may, on the advice of the Committee, form time to time, prescribe and in accordance with the rules set out in the First Schedule prepare an official list of electors in respect of every polling division and forthwith publish such list in the prescribed manner.
Source: Representation of the People Act, Art. 7
Verified: 2025/09/22
VR008
Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Question: Is it compulsory to be on the voters register?
Answer:
b . No
Comments: (4) Nothing in this Act shall be construed as making it obligatory for any person to be registered under this Act.
Source: Representation of the People Act, Art. 5(4)
Verified: 2025/09/22
Parties and Candidates
PC001
Registration requirements for parties (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the registration requirements for political parties running for national elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Signature requirement (specify requirement)
Comments: The names, addresses of the five hundred electors who have signed the declaration
Source: Political Party Registration Act (2014) https://www.ecj.com.jm/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/GUIDELINES-for-Registration.pdf
Verified: 2025/09/22
PC003
Registration requirements for candidates (Chamber 1)
Question: What are the legal qualifications to become a candidate at legislative elections (Chamber 1)?
Answer(s):
a . Age b . Citizenship d . Residence
Comments: a) 21 years old.
b) The citizenship refers to the Commonwealth, not only to Jamaica.
d) An ordinary residence of 12 months in the country.
Source: Constitution 40:1.
Verified: 2025/09/22
PC008
Independent candidates
Question: Can independent candidates compete in presidential or legislative elections?
Answer(s):
c . In legislative elections (Chamber 1)
Comments: Candidates to the House not necessarily have to be nominated by a political party.
Source: Electoral Code 23:2.
Verified: 2025/09/22
PC012
Public funding of parties
Question: Do political parties receive direct/indirect public funding?
Answer(s):
b . Direct
Comments:
Source: https://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/americas/JM/jamaica-report-ot-the-parliament-political-party#:~:text=RECOMMENDATIONS,and%20regulated%20by%20the%20Commission.
Verified: 2025/09/22
PC015
Question: What is the basis of the public funding?
Answer(s):
a . Equal funding, regardless of size and previous performance
Comments:
Source: https://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/americas/JM/jamaica-report-ot-the-parliament-political-party#:~:text=RECOMMENDATIONS,and%20regulated%20by%20the%20Commission.
Verified: 2025/09/22
PC017
Question: Are political parties entitled to private funding?
Answer:
c . No information available
Comments: There is no provision on the contrary in the electoral law.
Source: IFE 2006.
Verified: 2025/09/22
Vote Counting
VC004
Votes are sorted/counted at
Question: Following the close of the voting, where are the votes first sorted and counted?
Answer:
a . The polling stations
Comments:
Source: Electoral Law (The Representation of the People Act) Section 44.
Verified: 2025/09/23
VC011
When are ballots recounted?
Question: Under what conditions are ballots recounted?
Answer(s):
d . By request
Comments: A request has to be submitted to the Resident Magistrate for the parish where the declaration of election was made. It has to be accompanied by the affidavit of a credible witness and a deposit of the sum of forty Jamaican dollars.
Source: Electoral Law (The Representation of the People Act, Section 47:1.
Verified: 2011/05/23
Media and Elections
ME037
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
Question: What are the criteria for allocating free broadcast time and/or free printed advertisement space to political parties?
Answer(s):
h . No information available
Comments: There is no allocation of free broadcast time or free printed advertisement space to political parties.
Source: International IDEA (2003) "Funding of Political Parties and Election Campaigns"
Verified: 2007/01/17
Direct Democracy
DD002
Direct Democracy Provisions (National Level)
Question: Are there any Legal Provisions for Direct Democracy Procedures at the national level?
Answer:
c . No information available
Comments:
Source: 1962 Constitution with reforms through 1999.
Verified: 2015/11/06
Voting Operations
VO003
Electors vote at
Question: Where can electors vote?
Answer(s):
a . At a specified polling station in the locality where they are registered at national elections
Comments:
Source: The Representation of the People Act, Sections 29, 30 and 34
Verified: 2025/09/22
VO011
Voting method
Question: How do electors cast their votes?
Answer(s):
a . Manually marking of ballots
Comments:
Source: Representation of the People Act, Section 35
Verified: 2025/09/22
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