Any Jamaican citizen age 18yrs and older once enumerated and is on the voters list.

Tip: If you are a commonwealth citizen living in Jamaica for 12 consecutive months you can also register to vote. (must provide prove that he / she is a common wealth citizen).

Once you’re registered and on the voters list you have the right to vote in all National Parliamentary Elections as well as National Local Government Elections.

NPE: You vote in the constituency that you were registered to vote within a specific polling devision (PD).

LGE: You vote in the electoral division within a specific polling division (PD)

General Elections to elect our members of parliament is due every 5 yrs.

Note: We do not have fixed election dates. This means the Prime Minister can call it whenever he / she so desires.

Local Government Elections are due by law every 4 yrs. after the date of the last one, with a grace period of 90 days.

Note: This election is not entrenched in our constitution, therefore it can be postponed with a simple majority vote in parliament.

Ideally your national ID issued by the EOJ. No other ID should be accepted.

Tip: If you forgot your Voters ID you can still vote once your name appears on the list in the PD that you’re to vote in. The Presiding Officer to take the necessary steps.

Tip: Please note do not wear a white shirt or blouse to take your picture.

You vote for a candidate representing a registered political party or an independent candidate whether in a General Election to elect the MP to represent a constituency or in a Local Government Election to elect the councilor for the electoral division.

Tip: If you are registered in Portmore you have the right to directly elect your mayor.

No one is automatically registered So this means you have to go and register to vote. Once you’re 18 and a Jamaican citizen or a commonwealth citizen living her for at least 1 year you can go to any EOJ office nationally and apply.

You can check your status via EOJ online

You do not need to take any documents to register. The staff completes a Registration Record Card (RRC form) to capture your information such as:
Address
DOB
Finger prints
Photographs.

Note: They will ask for direction to your place of residence. The EOJ team will then visit your residence to verify that it’s authentic. You must be home at the time of visit.

If you are found and there’s no objection or if you are NOT found after 3 visits you will have to attend an Returning Officer (RO) sitting. Once you’re verified then you will be added to the next voters list to be published.

Note: A voters list is published twice per year, May 31st and November 30th.

Tip: If you to be on the May voters list must you must be registered by March 31st and verify by mid-April & for the November list by September 30th and verified by mid-October.

Note: Registration periods are done in phases and last for six months. April 1st to September 30th and October 1st to March 31st the following year. At the end of each phase a new voters list is published.

Normally upon on verification if there is a doubt to your age or citizenship the team may asked for proof when they visit you. Such as a birth certificate. You don’t need to proof an address, the verification is random and you must be there when they visit you in order to be verified.

NO. By law only an individual that applied to be enumerated (registered and verified) and whose name is on the voters list has that right.

You don’t use an address to vote. Once you are a registered voter, your name will appear on the voters list in the polling division (PD), electoral division and constituency that you were living at the time you applied to vote. That address will be on your ID.

You can apply for a transfer. You go into the EOJ constituency office where you are now living, ask for a transfer. Give them your new address. They will record that.

Note: There is a waiting period of three months before the verification is done. If you have moved and did not apply for a transfer your name will still be in your original constituency.

It’s approximately 10-15 minutes maximum. Once there are no lines.

Tip: Try not to go close to the end of a phase to avoid long lines.

Yes, you can visit any EOJ office islandwide. If you apply at an EOJ office outside of your constituency then it’s called an external registration. The team will then visit you at that address for the verification (you are entitled to 3 visits).

Tip: This is useful especially if you study or work outside of the constituency where you reside and are not able to visit the local EOJ during the week.

No. By law you have to be added to the list first before you’re issued a card. You’re official when your name appears on the voters list. Then approximately within a month you’ll get it.

Once your place of residence is verified, you will then be added to the next voters list to be published.
Note: You cannot vote if an election is called until your name is added to the list despite been registered.

PD – Polling Division
PS – Polling Station
ED – Electoral Division
Constituency – a defined geographical area where you reside and can vote to elect a representative to the lower house as your Member of Parliament.
EOJ – Electoral Office of Jamaica
EVIS – Electronic Voter Identification System
RRC – Registration Record Card
RO – Returning Officer
Ballot – A ballot is a device used to cast votes in an election and may be found as a piece of paper where you select the candidate of your choice.
Enumerated – Registered to Vote
LGE – Local Government Elections
NPE – National Parliamentary Elections aka General Elections

1. Be sure to find out exactly where you are to vote BEFORE Election Day, that is, your specific polling station. Call or visit your EOJ Constituency Office, or call the ECJ toll-free helpline at 888-991-VOTE (8683). You can also use the EOJ’s ‘Check My Status’ feature on their website.
2. Present your Voter ID card and follow the instructions of the Presiding Officer.
3. If you do not have your Voter ID card, you will still be allowed to vote once your name can be found on the Voters’ List, and your identity can be confirmed. This, however, will take some additional time, so be sure to take your Voter ID card with you.
4. If your polling station is using EVIS, that is the Electronic Voter Identification System, you will be asked to place a specific finger on a fingerprint scanner. Once your identity has been verified, you will be issued a ballot by the presiding officer. The EVIS is only used in certain constituencies, so it may or may not be used at your polling location.
5. Once you have been issued a ballot by the Presiding Officer go behind the voting booth and CLEARLY mark an X for the candidate of your choice in the space provided. Please also be sure to use the pencil provided in the voting booth.
6. Fold your ballot twice, as instructed by the Presiding Officer, to protect the secrecy of your vote, leaving the flap out. DO NOT SHOW ANYONE WHO YOU HAVE VOTED FOR.
7. Give the folded ballot to the Presiding Officer so that he or she can detach the flap.
8. Dip your right index finger (pointer finger) in the integrity ink and WATCH while your unopened ballot is put in the ballot box.
9. Once you have witnessed your ballot being placed into the ballot box, your voting process is now complete, and you should leave the vicinity in a peaceful manner.