Elections Second Chamber 2017 – Wednesday March 15

The voting pass is your proof of participation to the elections. Without a voting pass you cannot cast your vote. For the polling station having a voting pass constitutes the proof that you have not yet cast a vote. On the voting pass authenticity features and a unique number are placed.WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING WITH ME IN ORDER TO VOTE?

In order to vote, you must bring your voting pass and a proof of identification. Without your voting pass and your proof of identification, you are not allowed to vote. Thus bring along a proof of identification. The following documents are accepted: a Dutch passport, ID card (sédula) and a driving license. Your proof of identification may be expired for a maximum of five years, thus valid till March 16th, 2017 or later.When you discover before the election that your proof of identification has expired for more than five years, you can request a new proof of identification at the Census Office.

If you discover only on March 15th that your proof of identification has expired for more than five years, you cannot vote. Voting without identification is not possible.

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I DON’T HAVE A VOTING PASS (ANYMORE)?

In case you lost your voting pass or if this is torn, then request a new voting pass as soon as possible at your public entity. The deadline for requesting a replacement voting pass is March 14th. On March 15th you will not be able to receive a replacement voting pass.In case you did not receive your voting pass about 14 days before the elections, direct yourself to the Census Office. Most probably your voting pass could not be delivered, and is still available for you at the Census Office. You can collect your voting pass at the usual address. Do this as soon as possible. In the worst case, you can still collect your voting pass before March 15th.

DO I HAVE TO VOTE?

No, you are not obliged to vote. Voting is a right; you are allowed to determine whether you are going to make use of it. The right to vote is the foundation of our democracy. By voting you also exert influence on how you are being represented in the Second Chamber. If you do want to vote, but are not able to do so on the day itself, you can let someone else vote on your behalf.

WHO CAN I VOTE ON?
In the coming Second Chamber elections, you will vote for the members of the Second Chamber. There are a total of 150 seats to be distributed. You can find the names of the candidates on the candidates’ lists. These will be delivered door to door no later than March 10th. The parties participating to the Second Chamber elections are different from the ones you know from the Island Council elections. Most (and maybe even all of the) participating lists are established in the European part of the Netherlands. However, possibly there are candidates on the lists who have a special relationship with the Caribbean part of the Netherlands. Familiarize yourself with the programs of the different parties. Therein you will find the opinions of the parties concerning a lot of issues that are important to you. The programs of the political parties can be found on the internet. There are also various voting indicators, which can help you to make a decision.
The number one on the list is the party leader. The political party decides who that is. The names of the other candidates follow under the name of the party leader. You can also vote for one of them: that is called the preference vote. If this candidate obtains 25% of the number of votes that is necessary for the electoral threshold, he is directly elected in preference before the candidates higher on the list. Your vote is not lost if you vote for a candidate who has ultimately not been chosen. Your vote will then benefit the other candidates on the same list.The ballot sheet

The ballot sheet looks different than you are used to. It is black and white and it does not contain pictures of the candidates. Many parties are participating in the Second Chamber elections, with names that are unknown for you. What is more, parties can place up to 80 candidates on just one list.Each party has its own number. This number is assigned by the central polling station based on the number of votes the party obtained during the previous Second Chamber elections. Thus the party that obtained most of the votes is number one, the subsequent party is number two etc. Parties that are participating for the first time or that have not gained a seat in the previous election will be assigned a number through a draw.

Also each candidate has an own number. This number is determined by the party. The higher the number of the candidate, the higher the chance for the candidate to be chosen. However, by casting a preference vote you can increase the probability for a particular candidate to be elected, even though the candidate has a lower place on the list.

Optionally, the polling station can give you an explanation about the ballot sheet at the polling outside the polling booth. However, you should just cast your vote by yourself. Only voters who need assistance due to physical disability can get help in the voting booth.

AT WHICH POLLING STATION CAN I VOTE?To make it easier for you, on March 15th, you can vote at any polling station on the island. To be able to vote, you should bring a voting pass and a proof of identification. Thus, you should not have to arrange anything to vote at another polling station. A polling station which is located near you is indicated on the voting pass. The public entity will inform you at the latest 4 days before the voting day concerning the location of other polling stations, the opening hours and if the polling station is accessible for voters with a physical disability. You can vote in the following polling stations:

Saba:

The Queen Wilhemina Library (The Bottom)

Eugenius Johnson Center (Windwardside)

Opening times: 7:30 am – 9:00 pm

WHAT DOES THE POLLING STATION LOOK LIKE?

Each polling station looks differently. In any case, there are a table at which the members of the polling station sit, and one or more polling booths. There are at least 3 and a maximum of 7 polling station members. The polling station will check your proof of identification and voting pass. Then you get a ballot sheet. You vote (alone) in the voting booth. The arrangement of the polling booths in the polling station should be in such manner that nobody can see whom you are voting on. Fold your ballot sheet, if you think that one can see whether you are voting on the left or the right side of the ballot sheet. The Elections Law does not allow curtains hanging in front of the voting booth. After voting, put the ballot sheet in the ballot box. This is provided with a lock. Campaigning at the polling station is not allowed.How to behave at the polling station:

Have your voting pass and proof of identification readyEnsure that the members of the polling station can see the voting boothKeep enough distance from the voting booth

A vote is invalid if it was cast on a ballot sheet other than the ballot sheet that has been issued to you at the polling station. A vote is also invalid if you do not make clear on whom you cast your vote (for example because you have made multiple boxes red, or you just put an arrow pointing to the name of the candidate of your choice). Your vote is only valid if you mark the white dot in the voting box completely or partly red. Do not write further on the ballot sheet. You then run the risk that your identity can be traced back and which will therefore make your ballot sheet invalid.

WHAT CAN I DO IF I ACCIDENTALLY MADE MY VOTE INVALID?

If you accidentally made your ballot sheet invalid, or you made a mistake, you can request the polling station members only once for a new ballot sheet.
WHAT HAPPENS WITH MY VOTE?

Proxy