Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

2.   Interpretation

In this Act unless the context otherwise requires—

“Act” means this Act and all rules, regulations and statutory instruments made or continued in force by this Act;

“advance poll” means a poll held prior to polling day; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“advance polling station” means a polling station established under section 46; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“appointed” in relation to any date means the date fixed by the Minister by order;

“ballot” means the taking of the vote of an elector as provided under this Act;

“ballot paper” means the ballot paper described under section 45(2);

“care facility” means a place where seniors or people with disabilities reside; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“Chief Elections Officer” means the person appointed under section 4(1)(a) or any person acting in that office;

“Chief Fire Officer” means the Chief Fire Officer appointed under section 5 of the Fire Service Act; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“Commission” means the Electoral Commission appointed under section 57(3) of the Constitution;

“Constitution” means the Constitution of Saint Lucia;

“correctional facility” means a correctional facility declared under section 3 of the Correctional Services Act; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“Director of Correctional Services” means the person appointed under section 6 of the Correctional Services Act; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“election” means the election of a member or members to serve in the House;

“election documents” means the documents which the returning officer is required to transmit to the Chief Elections Officer after an election;

“election officer” includes the Chief Elections Officer, a registration officer, returning officer, election clerk, presiding officer, poll clerk, enumerator or other person having any duty to perform under this Act, to the faithful performance of which duty he or she may be sworn;

“elector” means any person whose name is on the register; (Amended by Act 13 of 2016)

“electoral district” means a constituency established in accordance with section 58 of the Constitution;

“enumeration” means the conduct of verification or registration exercises in an electoral district for the purpose of verifying and registering eligible voters;

“enumerator” means a person appointed to conduct verification and registration of eligible voters during an enumeration;

“Fire Service” means the Saint Lucia Fire Service established under section 3 of the Fire Service Act; (Inserted by Act 13 of 2016)

“House” means the House of Assembly;

“identification card” means the identification card issued to an elector in the manner and form prescribed;

“identity card” means a card other than an identification card issued to a person by any government or statutory body;

“intoxicating liquor” means spirit, wine, beer, cider, stout of every description and any fermented, distilled or spirituous liquor;

“last register” means the register for an electoral district last prepared and published under this Act;

“Minister” means the Minister to whom matters relating to the registration of voters and the election of members of the House have been assigned, due regard being had to sections 37 and 52 of the Constitution;

“oath” includes affirmation and statutory declaration;

“official list” means the list of electors for a polling division;

“poll book” means the book in the form set out as Form 14 in Schedule 3 in which the name and other particulars of every person applying to vote are consecutively entered by the poll clerk as soon as the applicant's right to vote at the polling station has been ascertained and before any such applicant is allowed to vote;

“polling day” means the day fixed for holding the poll at an election;

“polling division” means any polling division constituted in accordance with section 28;

“polling station” means any premises situated within a polling division secured by the returning officer for the taking of the votes of the electors on polling day includes an advance polling station; (Amended by Act 13 of 2016)

“prescribed” means as provided for or contained in a statutory instrument made under this Act;

“qualifying date” means the date for the determination of the qualification of an elector under this Act which date in respect of the second half of the year 1979 and of every succeeding half year shall be the 15 July and in respect of the first half of each year subsequent to the year 1979 shall be 15 February;

“qualified person” means a person who is qualified to be registered as an elector in accordance with the provisions of this Act;

“register” means the register of electors for an electoral district prepared and published under this Act;

“registration officer” means an officer appointed as such for any electoral district or any person acting in that capacity;

“rejected ballot paper” means a ballot paper which has been handed by the presiding officer to an elector to cast his or her vote but which at the close of the poll has been found in the ballot box unmarked or so improperly marked that in the opinion of the presiding officer or returning officer it cannot be counted;

“Schedule” means a Schedule to this Act;

“scrutineer” means a person appointed as a scrutineer under section 4 to observe the enumeration and registration of electors;

“spoiled ballot paper” means a ballot paper which on polling day, has not been deposited in the ballot box but has been found by the presiding officer to be soiled or improperly printed, or which has been handed by the presiding officer to an elector to cast his or her vote, and—

1.  

   (a)     has been spoiled in marking by the elector; and

1.  

   (b)     has been handed back to the presiding officer and exchanged for another;

“supplementary list” (Deleted by Act 13 of 2016);

“voter” means any person who votes at an election;

“writ” means the writ for an election.

(Amended by Act 22 of 2005)