All patients who are able, and also those who are bedridden will be allowed to cast ballots.

Civic and Voter Education Officer at the Electoral Department, Alymphia Lionel, has announced that based on recent amendments to the Elections Act, advanced polling will be conducted at hospitals and homes for the elderly around the island.

Statutory Instrument no. 13 of 2016, amendment of section 46, 11 subsection (a) (b) no. 2, reads "Where a hospital, care facility or other similar institution exists in a polling division, the returning officer shall establish an advance polling station to take an advance poll in such institution."

Lionel said in preparation for the election, the Electoral Department met with the management of health institutions to ensure the smooth execution of advance polling, and to ensure that clients of the homes were properly registered.

"For those at the homes or care institutions, we changed their address at the institutions to alleviate the stress of persons carrying people all over the place. So we will have a station at the homes. For the hospitals, persons say during this time they never get a chance to cast their ballot, so we're going to accommodate everybody, and we will have a polling station at each of
these institutions."

Advance polling will be conducted at Victoria Hospital on Friday, June 3. All patients who are able, and also those who are bedridden will be allowed to cast ballots.

"We would have to take the service to the bedridden at the hospital, and the same goes for the St. Lucy's Home, Comfort Bay Senior Citizens Home, Saint Jude Hospital, and other care facilities," Lionel said. "So we will have a polling station at each and every institution [so that all who are able] get a chance to cast their ballots."

Staff of the institutions are not allowed to partake in the advance polling process which is reserved exclusively for clients and patients of the institutions. Voters lists for all 17 constituencies will be placed at those institutions to facilitate the voting process.

"Even for those at Comfort Bay and other care facilities where persons did not have time to change their addresses, we also have the voters list placed there for all 17 constituencies so that persons would be able to vote for the candidate from their constituency."

Lionel asserted that the voting process will be in keeping with normal voting procedures.

"What would happen at the hospital, if the person doesn't have their ID Card they would still be allowed to vote because we have a master copy with people's photos at the centers. So if the person wants to cast a ballot and does not have an ID Card during the time that we are there, once we can identify the person, the person will be allowed to cast their ballot at the hospital."

Also new to this year's election is the inclusion of poll workers in the advanced voting schedule facilitated by the Electoral Department. Advanced polling will also be conducted on June 3 for fire service personnel, police officers, and for the first time, correctional officers.

The recent amendments to the Elections Act was passed by the House of Assembly and the Senate on May 3  and May 10, respectively.