NS leads early turnout

(CNS): Since the polls opened at 7am this morning a total of 2,713 votes have now been cast in the national referendum on one man, one vote. Elections officials reported that so far just under 18% of the electorate has already come out to the polls to participate in the historic ballot. With eight hours still to go, officials were urging all registered electors to join in the democratic process and cast their vote. Across the polling districts North Side leads the way for voter turn out with almost 24% of registered voters having already been to the polls or voted by post or at a mobile station. Across the Cayman Islands, so far the Sister Islands trail in turnout with less than 15% of voters having been to the polls.

 Just behind North Side is Bodden Town and George Town where over 18% of registered electors have voted, followed by West Bay where 17.5% of people have gone to the polls. Meanwhile, only 16.2% of voters have come out in the already single member constituency of East End to cast their vote in the first two hours since the polls opened.

The turn out in this referendum is critical as the bar has been set at 50% of the electorate plus one for the result to be binding and not a simple majority of voters who turn out. The key number is 7,583 votes for the referendum to carry.