C
",
c o l l e c t i v e l y , c o n s t i t u t e s u f f i c i e n t proof t o t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f
t h i s c o u r t t h a t the' e l e c t i o n had n o t been c o n d u c t e d s u b s t a n t i a l l y
i n accordance with t h e e l e c t i o n laws.
The d i c t u m o f t h e C o u r t i n
t h i s c a s e i s a p p o s i t e a n d i t may b e u s e f u l t o r e s t a t e i t :
"To my mind, a n e l e c t i o n d o e s n o t m e r e l y s y m b o l i z e t h e
citizens'
right t o free franchise but entails public participation
i n s e l e c t i n g t h e government o f t h e i r c h o i c e t h r o u g h a p r o c e s s which
not only guarantees absolute f a i r n e s s , secrecy, i m p a r t i a l i t y and
r e g u l a r i t y , b u t which a l s o e n c o m p a s s e s p u b l i c t r u s t a n d c o n f ' i d e n c e
i n t h e manner i n which t h e p r o c e s s i s c a r r i e d o u t .
For these
r e a s o n s , v a r i o u s l e g a l g u i d e l + n e s have been e n a c t e d t o r e g u l a t e
t h e f o r m a l i t i e s of an i m p a r t i a l e l e c t i o n .
Any s e r i o u s d e p a r t u r e
from t h e s e p r o c e d u r e s w i l l - s t r i k e a t t h e v e r y f o u n d a t i o n o f a f r e e
and democratic system o f p o l i t i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n and a f f e c t p u b l i c
confidence i n t h e i m p a r t i a l i t y of our election."
~ c c o r d i n g l y , I would g r a n t t h e f o l l o w i n g d e c l a r a t i o n s :
(1)
That t h e t a k i n g o f t h e p o l l i n t h e g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n
o f members o f t h e HBuse o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s h e l d o n t h e 1 8 t h d a y
o f December, 1997 i s v o i d i n r e s p e c t o f p o l l i n g d i v i s i o n s 2 3 , 4 9 ,
56, 5 7 , 5 8 , 64, 71, and 72, i n t h e C o n s t i t u e n c y o f W e s t C e n t r a l
S t . Andrew.
(2)
That t h e t a k i n g of t h e p o l l i n t h e g e n e r a l e l e c t i o n
o f Memjers o f t h e House o f R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s h e l d o n t h e 1 8 t h d a y o f
December, 1997 i s v o i d i n r e s p e c t t o t h e w h o l e c o n s t i t u e n c y of W e s t
C e n t r a l S t . Andrew.