More than 50 candidates have not filed donation registration

GREAT BAY – With only today and tomorrow left for candidates that took part in the September 26 elections 42 percent of them (53) have not yet submitted their donation registration to the Electoral Council. Among them are candidates that have been elected to parliament.

This afternoon, candidates elected to parliament have to sign a declaration at the Electoral Council stating that they have abided by the national ordinance registration and finances political parties.

Deadline October 26

Last Friday, the Electoral Council requested the representatives of the political parties to urge all candidates, who contested the 2016 parliamentary elections to submit their donation registrations to the Electoral Council no later than tomorrow, October 26 to ensure compliance with the National Ordinance on Registration and Finances of Political Parties. To date, the United People’s Party (UPP) is the only party of which the donation registrations of all candidates were submitted. This was done on October 19.

Tomorrow is the final date to submit donation registrations. Candidates who did not receive any donations must also complete the form, date, sign it, and submit it to the Electoral Council by this date.

In order to accommodate candidates with the submission of their donation registrations before the deadline, the Electoral Council will extend its office hours and will be open today and tomorrow from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m.

The Electoral Council is not responsible for completing the registrations; those who have trouble completing the form digitally should contact their parties for assistance.

Sanctions for non-compliance with the National Ordinance include the publication of the names in the media. Elected members to Parliament will not be able to take the oath of office to assume their position if they fail to comply with the law. The Electoral Council will also consider giving an order subject to penalty to enforce compliance as laid down in Article 33 and 37, Subsection 2 of the National Ordinance.

Candidates, who did not receive the email with instructions on how to access the database to complete their donation registration digitally, should contact the Electoral Council office on Backstreet 145b in person, by phone 543 98 88 and 543 98 89 or via the email address info@ecsxm.org.