You are One in a Million, Make it Count (Part 1)

In the last general elections of 2011, in which I worked as a Supervising Presiding Officer with the Electoral Commission of Jamaica, we had a voter turnout of just about 53%. Let us look at the numbers closely - Though the total number of persons that were of voting age was 1,897,725, only 1,648,036 were actually enumerated, or eligible voters on record. This leaves a difference of about 200,000 individuals who were of the voting age, but were not registered to vote.

Finally, of the total 1.6 million plus eligible voters, only 876,310 voters actually turned out to vote. That left just about 800,000 registered citizens who did not participate; added to that was the approximately 200,000 who were not enumerated, taking the total to approximately one million Jamaicans who were of voting age, but did not exercise their franchise for a variety of reasons. The result was that the PNP got 53% of that total, which is just over 460,000 votes, while the JLP got 46%, which is just over 400,000 votes.

In essence, with those numbers, the government of Jamaica was elected by less than 30% of the actual number of eligible citizens in Jamaica. While I understand that many jamaicans are turned off from the political process, neither apathy nor abstinence will achieve much; because while the uninterested majority (in numbers) distances itself, the loyal minority (in numbers) will chose for us as long as possible. 

Let me make it abundantly clear, there is nothing wrong with loyalty - all groups & organizations, including political parties, need loyal members & supporters to survive; however, no group or organization is sustainable, neither will maintain long term relevance if it relies solely on the existence & support of a loyal few. But, the chances of achieving improved governance, accountability and transparency, are likely to be increased by the participation of a wider cross-section of participants, whose numbers can turn the tide either way. And make no mistake about it, ineffective governments can survive, even if only for a season and will happily do so at our peril, on the backs of a loyal few, with no sense of urgency, in view of the assurance that the rest of the population is unlikely to do anything about it, by way of the polls.

Hence, no organization or government is likely to take seriously, the complaints of one million non voters, if they know that those non voters will do nothing to remove them from office. Such governments are more likely to be preoccupied with the business of elections, mastering the manipulation of the electoral process, while achieving very little or nothing of long term significance for the nation's growth &; development. But an active, informed & game-changing electorate can make the difference in how the political directorate behaves. This is not rocket science. 

To be continued......