Blow for PNP in Portmore

Nearly 5,000 electors in Portmore, many of whom are thought to be supporters of the People's National Party (PNP), will not be able to vote in the mayoral election for the Municipality of Portmore on Monday.

The Electoral Commission of Jamaica said that, as a result of the recent Supreme Court ruling, the mayoral election will not be held on the gazetted boundaries of 2015, but will instead be held on the 2003 boundaries.

The electoral divisions affected are Greater Portmore North in St Catherine Southern, and the Portmore Pines Division in St Catherine East Central.

Citizens of portions of both divisions were never able to vote for mayor of the municipality because parts of those divisions fall outside of the current municipal boundaries.

However, these residents thought they had a chance to vote for mayor after the boundaries of the municipality were adjusted by former local government minister Noel Arscott.

The court has since ruled that his actions were unlawful, and this means that a total of 4,837 electors in 16 polling divisions will no longer be able to vote for the mayor and will be issued with a single ballot to vote for a councillor.

The remaining 93,054 electors will be given two ballots to facilitate voting for a councillor and the mayor of Portmore.

The PNP's Leon Thomas and the Jamaica Labour Party's Keith Blake are contesting the mayoral election.

Results

2003 results

George Lee 7,546 (PNP)

Keith Hinds 6,906 (JLP)

2007

Keith Hinds 15,205

George Lee 14,429

2012

George Lee 15,040

Keith Hinds 8,316