EBC defends its conduct of special-voting process

ELECTIONS and Boundaries (EBC) CEO Fern Narcis-Scope says the organisation has been transparent and responsible during the 2025 general election process as the UNC makes claims of irregularities, breaches of procedure and communications failures against it.

In an April 17 statement, the UNC demanded urgent action and full accountability from the EBC, listing several issues including the news that ten ballots for special electors were wrongly included in the list for the Tunapuna constituency.

The party claimed that on April 16, UNC representatives asked the returning officer for clarification on the total number of ballot papers furnished by the EBC, the number of ballots issued for Tunapuna, the number of ballots not issued, and the number and status of the special ballot box presented, but the returning officer refused to provide the information.

It also claimed the date of special voting was changed from April 15 to April 16, as well as the venue without notifying the party in a timely manner. It said that prevented the UNC from “adequately participating in or observing a vital part of the process.”

In addition, it said the party’s representatives were not given access to special voting venues which facilitated people involved in offshore petroleum operations.

It complained, “These locations are at specially secured sites, to which UNC officials do not have access. The EBC has not provided UNC election officials with access to these facilities, and voting has begun already.”

As a result, the UNC demanded the EBC account for ten erroneous ballots in Tunapuna, provide the requested breakdown of ballot numbers, explain and correct alleged failures in communication about special voting, and ensure no future changes were made without formal and timely notification to all contesting parties.

“The UNC will continue to ensure that these breaches are recorded and corrected, and that a free and fair election will be conducted in Trinidad and Tobago, according to the highest international standards.”

In a telephone interview Narcis-Scope told Newsday UNC representatives had been writing the returning officers and information on the special voting ballot boxes was being provided to them.

She pointed out she was the one to inform all the political parties which fielded candidates in Tunapuna that there was an error, so the EBC was being diligent and transparent in its processes.

“That was the EBC being transparent and accountable, and that error was picked up part in parcel of us doing our checks. So one of the things people must appreciate is that the legislation has checks and balances throughout each process.

“In the letter to them, you would see the election rule was referenced in terms of how that check is conducted, under which election rule. And so it is in the process of conducting that, that there was an error in relation to special ballots issued in Tunapuna.”

She said the ballots were issued to people who belonged to other constituencies and the erroneous ballot papers were removed from the system. She added that ballot papers were also issued to the ten special electors in their correct constituencies so they still got to vote.

Regarding the special voting for offshore workers, she said that was not something political parties traditionally got to witness as sometimes EBC officers had to go offshore to deliver and receive the ballots.

She explained sometimes arrangements could be made by the energy company for their workers who applied for special elector status, but no arrangements were made for April 15.

“There is a lot of very good work that the EBC is doing very quietly to ensure that people are able to exercise their franchise.”

The EBC also issued a statement addressing special voting.

It said the date had never been scheduled for April 15 as the sorting of special envelopes took place on that day but there were tentative plans for April 16.

“On April 16, the EBC (the Commission) notified political parties and independent candidates about the schedule for special voting for offshore workers. Before this, no arrangements had been made with any offshore entities for special voting on April 15, 2025, as the sorting of special envelopes occurred that day.

“Traditionally, political parties have not actively participated in special voting for offshore personnel due to the logistical challenges posed by offshore work schedules and access issues. Consequently, arrangements for transporting election workers depend on offshore companies, and the commission made significant efforts to accommodate their requests.

“After careful consideration of the requests from offshore companies, the commission organised special voting on April 16 and 17. To promote transparency, the commission has provided all political parties and independent candidates with statements of contents from the special ballot boxes from each of these special voting exercises.”

It said 58 people voted on April 16 and 16 on April 17, and the usual special voting would be from April 21-24 between 9 am and 3 pm at three locations in Port of Spain, San Fernando and Scarborough, Tobago.

Previously, the UNC complained a returning officer in Couva South was biased when she, on Nomination Day, April 4, allowed the PNM candidate for the area to drive up to the returning officer’s office while denying the UNC candidate the same courtesy.

The UNC asked for the returning officer to be removed, as well as that of a San Fernando East returning officer who failed to immediately seal an empty ballot box after a special voting exercise, but no action was taken.

The EBC addressed the issue saying, “This oversight was quickly identified, and the returning officer promptly contacted representatives from the political parties who had been present during the distribution process that day.

“The representatives indicated they would return. However, despite numerous follow-up calls, the representative for the UNC did not come back to complete the procedure. As a result, the empty ballot box was sealed in the presence of a returning witness, two electors, the returning officer, and the election clerk. All necessary seals were signed and affixed to the ballot box according to the required process.”