Voter indecision caused ballot spoilage, not language barrier
Elections Supervisor Scherrie Griffin has dismissed suggestions that the fairly high number of spoiled ballots coming from yesterday’s general elections was an indication that there was a significant language barrier at play.
Some observers suggested that the quantity of spoiled ballots that emerged during the elections count could have been attributed to a lack of Spanish-language ballots; an issue which may have impacted a small but fairly significant segment of the Spanish-speaking voting population.
But Griffin argued that there may have been other serious factors at play that may have caused the aberration.
“I do not want us to be misled in thinking that any spoilage of ballots was necessarily or primarily as a result of the language barrier,“ Griffin stated. “It also has to do with persons’ indecisiveness.”
She suggested some persons may have second-guessed their vote and perhaps took the opportunity to correct their initial mistakes. Griffin offered that the issue should be looked at more holistically and not just from the language barrier perspective.
Meanwhile, Griffin contended that bilingual (Spanish and English) ballot papers, as some may have requested, was not an option that could have been considered, since there was no legislation in place to accommodate such a provision.
“There is some consideration that was given into possibly having the ballots and other material in Spanish. However, the BVI has not officially recognised or considers Spanish as a second language,” Griffin commented when asked about the issue.
She added: “That, in and of itself, then creates a challenge for me in doing so if it’s not legislated. I’m under no obligation to do something of that nature.”
However, Griffin did state that because the territory is made up of a diverse society, this is something that would be helpful and should be taken into consideration going forward.
Some residents also commented that the shading area on the ballots may have been far too small for some voters. But it was explained that voters were given an indication by the ballot machines whenever a vote was not initially accepted and thus allowed an opportunity to re-cast their vote and have it counted.
Griffin commented that while her first outing as Supervisor of Elections proved to be challenging, she received overwhelming support from close family members and friends as well as members of her office and the Deputy Governor’s Office.
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She did a good job – don’t listen to the moaners. If you did not understand the ballot paper you were probably too stupid to have your vote count (like the Democrats in Florida with the hanging chads).
The shading boxes on the ballot is too small especially for the older folks.
Other than that the supervisor of elections did a job well done.
if your command of the English language is not sufficient to read a ballot i have to question how you become a belonger.
In the time spent here to become a belonger surely you can learn basic English. if not ??????
its like any other country in the world the highly educated people that can make a difference never gets status, but all others do.
Language or not,illiteracy played a large role. This gynamous amount of DR immigrants are largely reading,writing and common sense challenged in any and all language. Coach’s preferred goods.
Do better VI. Import usable and beneficial to country products. We know that doing otherwise benefits the criminal elected but we are now wiser. Unfortunately our education mechanism took a beating as a result and cannot be revived overnight.
Next time the Supervisor of Elections should either increase the circle size or have voters fill in the square or X the square and see if the ballot machines accepts it. The circles are really too small.
The indecision was caused by poor choices available.
Bilingual ballots are not necessary. The names are the names they do not change to a different language.
Ms. Griffin and her team were outstanding. At my Polling station the officers were highly organised, looked and behaved pleasant and professional. The person greeting at entry was a wonderful addition.
The leaflet pinned to the wall said an X or colour in the oval. Inside it was only colour in. That oval was tiny, shaky hands couldn’t do it nearly. Outside the leaflet said to put the ballot paper folded in an envelope. Inside it was put it in a machine that is not the way to run an election two sets of instructions. Need to go back to an X that everyone except a machine can recognize.
I have voted many times before. A pencil was used every other time. Why did they change it to a pen this time. Because if you decided to change your mind you could not erase. They know that persons were going to be undecided – after all, the scales would fall from their eyes…
While appreciation can be given to the suggestions listed ahead, I haven’t seen great mention to why the votes are now accounted for in quarter of the time, the Automated Machine. I’m very sure the ballots are CREATED to accommodate efficient reading by the machines, and not the elections office making smaller circles, applying shading over Xs or requiring to now use a pen as means to frustrate the voters. If you make a mistake, you have 2 replacement ballots. I think the process was outstanding in comparison to other systems we have in place.
Please consider the era in which you voted. I am sure the first time you voted, you had a beeper..