Local government elections

The election of Local Government officials will take place on June 27, 2002. Nomination day for this election will be on June 5, 2002. The voter register was closed on May 27, 200 in view of these dates.

The election process for Local Government is the same as for the general election which was held this past May 2. Any citizen who wishes to serve his or her community can nominate and run within the Polling Division where he or she lives. Each candidate needs to pick up a form at the administrator"s office and fill it out. Each candidate must have five sponsors who are all registered voters within that same Polling Division.

A $50 fee is required which is refunded if the candidate receives one-sixth of the votes. This will be the third election of local government officials who serve for three-year terms. The first election in 1996 ushered in a new concept, that of allowing the Family Islanders to make many decisions themselves about their communities. The election of 1999 made minor adjustments to the system but maintained the same basic principles.

Abaco has six District Councils. In the three districts on mainland Abaco the voters in each town elect their Town Committee. Town Committees consist of five, seven or nine members, depending on the number of registered voters in that town.

The Town Committee elects its Committee Chairman and Deputy Chairman as well as their representatives to the District Council. Each Council then elects a Chief Councillor and Deputy Councillor as well as appointing Boards. The system is slightly different in the three smaller Districts, the Central Abaco Cays, Moore"s Island and Grand Cay. In these areas each town elects members who serve directly on their Councils. These Councils incorporate the work of the Town Committees and the various boards.