Boosting the Transparency of Jamaica’s Elections

Since the landmark establishment of universal suffrage in 1944, elections have been a pillar of Jamaican democracy. To safeguard this legacy, democracy watchdog groups have remained vigilant, preventing a return to vote rigging, political intimidation and violence that undermined past elections. To ensure that every ballot continues to be counted, the Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) deployed citizen volunteers to observe the February 26, 2024, Local Government Elections.

After Prime Minister Andrew Holness called elections on February 1, CAFFE reprised the important role it has played for 11 previous cycles. In this instance, CAFFE served as the only Jamaican or international group conducting a nationwide, systematic observation effort of the municipal election process -- organized in less than a month after elections were announced. As CAFFE Chairperson Grace Baston stated, "Jamaica has a hard fought and successful history of peaceful, participatory elections, a democratic tradition that we must continue to protect, including by engaging new generations of citizens to oversee the process." Drawing on a network of 17- and 18-year old secondary school students, CAFFE fielded observers in all 14 Jamaican parishes. The group deployed 391 observers -- 339 indoor (stationary) observers, 33 roving observers and 19 additional monitors receiving election day reports at a data center at Campion College in Kingston. Drawing on the observer reports received via electronic forms, an innovation from past observation efforts, CAFFE made fact-based statements on the overall integrity of the elections. These statements provide election authorities, political parties, the public and the international community with an independent, impartial assessment of the voting and counting process. CAFFE's 11:00 am election morning statement concluded that: "the voting process for Local Government elections has proceeded normally with no major incident." Specific findings included:

• 91% of polling stations observed opening by the scheduled time at 7:00 am;

• 99% of all polling stations observed had proper materials in place;

• 8% of polling stations observed reported some disruption in the voting proceedings;

• 96% of polling stations observed that all voters who were properly identified were allowed to vote.

In its 8:00 pm statement, the group provided an overall assessment of the elections, declaring "From what CAFFE has observed, the voting and counting process for the balance of election day proceeded with normality. No incidents observed materially affected the results of the elections. The elections were conducted freely and transparently." The group drew on the following data to reach its conclusions on the elections:

• In 14% of the polling stations reported on, there was some interruption of the voting process [CAFFE is investigating these specific incidents];

• In 94% of polling stations reported on, there were no irregularities affecting the voting proceedings, including incidents of open voting, failures of presiding officers to properly identify electors, and inconsistent use of integrity lamps [as such, irregularities did not have a material impact on the outcome];

• In 7% of polling stations reported on, political party agents contested the preliminary count [these concerns were addressed during official recounts];

• In 93% of the polling stations reported on, security personnel were present up to the end of the preliminary count [a rate on par with past elections];

• In 87% of polling stations reported on, the ballot box was escorted from the polling station by the security forces [a rate on par with past elections].

In its evening statement, CAFFE also "congratulat[ed] the EOJ [Elections Office of Jamaica] for the effective organization of the Local Government elections. However, CAFFE remains concerned that officials in the electoral system continue to place obstacles in the way of its ability to fully monitor and report on the conduct of the elections...It is the right of electors to witness this process and the mistaken position taken by some EOJ officials does not bode well for the transparent process of free and fair elections."

In this respect, despite a normal process overall, CAFFE reported that in the early hours of the elections, some of its observers were prevented from monitoring by election officials. CAFFE's leadership reached out to the EOJ and many incidents were resolved relatively quickly. However, after polls closed, some 11% of CAFFE were ultimately prevented from watching the vote tally.

As noted, CAFFE issued a statement highlighting the obstruction of CAFFE observers and was interviewed by leading journalists about the issue in real time on election day. High profile commentators called on the EOJ to explain why CAFFE's volunteers were prevented from observing the vote tally, contributing to the EOJ's commitment to addressing the issue with CAFFE following the election. In this regard, CAFFE leadership and the EOJ are preparing a Memorandum of Understanding that includes specific guidance on the role of observers to be incorporated in the EOJ poll workers training manual to avoid future issues related to the right of access of national observers.

Many CAFFE observers were motivated to engage in the elections by their involvement in volunteer Democracy Clubs, formed following the 2020 national elections in high schools. Students and their teachers took part in extracurricular discussions on issues facing Jamaica, such as the fixed election dates or mandatory voting. The clubs also provided opportunities to engage in democratic life and apply their knowledge, including as CAFFE observers.

As a respected election monitor, CAFFE's statements on the process received notable media attention and served as the standard for evaluating the elections, including front page coverage in the leading newspaper The Gleaner. The day before the elections, the newspaper's headline cited CAFFE's call to Jamaicans to participate -- "'Go Out and Vote' - Elections Watchdog Urges Jamaicans to Take Polls Seriously as Survey Reveals Voter Apathy Remains High."

Similarly, on election day, CAFFE outlined its plans for observing the process in a subsequent article in The Gleaner, "All Systems Go, Jamaica Holds Long-Awaited Local Government Elections Today." As the election unfolded, major print and electronic media continued to publicize CAFFE's findings on the quality of the elections. The Jamaica Observer's headlines reported " 'Normal start' to local elections says CAFFE'' and "Voter intimidation linked to family feuds."

EOJ Director Glasspole Brown also cited CAFFE's statements to validate the election body's performance: "Overall, we think it went smoothly and we are happy. CAFFE…gave us a stamp of approval that everything was fair and transparent in terms of the process…"

For election day, NDI specialists traveled to Kingston to provide additional support to the experienced CAFFE observation team, sharing international comparative approaches to election statements and management and presentation of observer data.

CAFFE is now preparing a full analysis of election findings, including incidents on election day, and developing public recommendations for election reform going forward.

CAFFE's election observation efforts and NDI support was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Authors: Matt Dippell, Deputy Director of the Latin America and Caribbean team and Alanna Margulies, Project Assistant for the Government Relations and Communication team

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NDI is a non-profit, non-partisan, non-governmental organization that works in partnership around the world to strengthen and safeguard democratic institutions, processes, norms and values to secure a better quality of life for all. NDI envisions a world where democracy and freedom prevail, with dignity for all.

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