Press Releases

Candidates Prepare for Nomination Day

24 February 2021

Ahead of the 2021 General Election, the Elections Office reminds individuals intending to run that they must first seek formal nomination in order to be considered a candidate.

Individuals must submit a completed set of nomination forms to their electoral district’s Returning Officer on Nomination Day, Monday 1 March 2021 between 8am and 3pm. A list of nomination locations is provided below.

“Preparations for the next General Elections are progressing well at the Elections Office. Nomination Day is an important next step in the process to delivering Cayman’s free and fair elections.  By way of this release, we are aiming to share the most relevant information with persons seeking to be nominated prior to Nomination Day,” said the Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Howell.

All individuals seeking nomination are reminded of the following.

Legal advice

The Elections Office is not permitted to provide anyone with legal advice. Individuals with questions about nomination qualifications or other legal interpretations are encouraged to seek their own legal advice.

Standards in Public Life Declarations

The Standards in Public Life Declarations form must be submitted to the Standards in Public Life Commission Secretariat prior to nominations. For more information, contact the Standards in Public Life Commission at 244-3685 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Nominators

Individuals intending to run in the General Election must be nominated by at least two people who, at the time of signing the nomination paper, are registered electors of the electoral district they are running for.

It is an offence to knowingly nominate a person who is not qualified pursuant to section 61 of Schedule 2 to the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009 or is disqualified pursuant to section 62 of the said Schedule to be elected as a member of the Cayman Islands Parliament.

Additionally, it is also an offence for a nominator who, at the date of signing the nomination paper, is not a registered elector of that electoral district or knows that the person nominated is not qualified to be elected. Those who commit this offence are liable on conviction to a fine of KYD$2,000.

Qualifications and disqualifications

Anyone seeking nominations are encouraged to carefully review the Cayman Islands Constitution and the Elections Act (2021). It is an offence to knowingly consent to be nominated if you are not qualified pursuant to section 61 of Schedule 2 to the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009 or is disqualified pursuant to section 62 of the said Schedule from being elected as a member of the Cayman Islands Parliament. Anyone who commits this offence are liable on conviction to a fine of KYD$5,000.

Deposit

Nomination form must be accompanied by a deposit of KYD$1,000 payable in cash or bank draft payable to the Cayman Islands Government.

If a candidate is not elected and received less than 10% of the total votes polled, the money deposited is forfeited to the Crown. Otherwise, the deposit will be refunded to the person who paid the deposit after the result of the election is declared.

Photo

Candidates must supply a high resolution 2” x 2” passport size colour photo on Nomination Day. The photo will be included on the ballot papers.

Please print the candidate name legibly as what is written on the nomination form is how it will appear on the ballot paper.

Logos

Candidates must indicate to the Returning Officer if they belong to a registered party. The party logo or, for independent candidates, “IND” will be placed beside each candidate’s photo on the ballot paper.

Agents

Agents will need to be appointed quickly, in particular those who will be observing the issuance of postal ballots, followed by those who will be used for mobile voting and then Elections Day.

The first postal ballots will be issued between 10 and 11 March 2021.

Campaign expenses

Candidates are urged to review the guidance on campaign expenses which will be issued on Nomination Day. The deadline to provide elections campaign expenses to the Supervisor of Elections is Wednesday, 19 May 2021.

Nomination locations

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Pending Electors can vote on 14 April

11 February 2021

On Wednesday, 10 February 2021, His Excellency, the Governor issued a notice to dissolve parliament on Sunday February 14 and set Wednesday, 14 April 2021 as the new date for the next General Election.

This date was selected in part to ensure newly registered and eligible voters will still be able to cast their vote in the 2021 General Election.

Before the 20 January 2021 registration deadline, 1,406 individuals registered to vote. The names of these voters are now listed on the Revised List of Electors, which was published for public review on 3 February 2021.

Claims and objections relating to the revised list must be submitted before 25 February 2021.

All claims and objections will be published on 4 March 2021. The Revising Officer (Chief Magistrate) will hear these claims and objections between 22 and 26 March 2021.

Following the outcome of the hearings, the revised list will be finalised and become the Official List of Electors on 1 April 2021. Everyone on this list will be entitled to cast their vote, in person, in the General Election on 14 April 2021.

Individuals on the Revised List of Electors who are currently 17-years-old and will not turn 18 on or before the new General Election date will not be eligible to vote on 14 April 2021. Sixteen individuals fall into this category and they will be contacted by the Registering Officers.

Postal voting is available to anyone who will be or are likely to be off island on Election Day. Postal ballots can now be requested and will be dispatched following nomination day for everyone eligible.

Requests for postal or mobile voting from newly eligible voters will be actioned after 1 April 2021. Postal ballots will be dispatched by commercial courier.

Mobile voting is available to anyone on island who is unable to visit a polling station on Election Day. Requests for mobile voting can now be submitted.

Registering Officers will be contacting all persons who submitted postal and mobile voting forms for the May Election date, prior to the announcement of the 14 April 2021 General Election date, to determine if those persons still require postal voting or mobile voting  for the new date.

Information on who can qualify for postal or mobile voting can be found at elections.ky along with the necessary forms to complete. Alternatively, individuals may contact the Elections Office at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit the office at 68 West Bay Road, George Town.

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Governor Issues New Writs Ahead of April's General Election

16 February 2021

Following the decision to bring forward the date of the General Election to Wednesday, 14 April 2021, His Excellency the Governor, Martyn Roper yesterday (Monday, 15 February 2021) issued updated writs to the Returning Officers and Deputy Returning Officers.

“Despite the earlier than expected election this year, I have full confidence that the Returning Officers, Deputy Returning Officers as well as the team at the Elections Office will have all the necessary measures and training in place to hold a free and fair election on Wednesday, 14 April. The Cayman Islands has a long history of upholding international best practices for elections and this year will be no different,” said Mr. Roper. 

Returning Officers are responsible for the organisation and conduct of elections in their respective districts. Writs are the documents the Governor issues to the Returning Officers commanding them to conduct an election in accordance with Section 28 of the Elections Law (2021 Revision).

These writs will be returned to the Governor following the election with the name of the candidate who has been elected to serve in that electoral district.

In accordance with the 2021 General Elections Programme, Nomination Day will be held on Monday, 1 March 2021. The General Elections is to be held in the 19 electoral districts on Wednesday, 14 April 2021.

Writs were initially issued on Wednesday, 9 December for the previous General Election date, which had been set for May.

The remaining election activities are outlined below.

A list of the 19 Returning Officers and the electoral districts are listed below.

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Public Advised to Be Cautious of House Calls

08-Feb-2021

The Elections Office has received a number of concerns from members of the public that individuals are conducting a house-to-house survey relating to elections purportedly on behalf of the government.

The Elections Office wishes to clarify that these individuals do not work for or represent the Elections Office and that the survey is not sanctioned or authorised by the Elections Office.

The Elections Office encourages residents who encounter these types of home visits and feel at risk to report any suspicious activities to the police by calling 911.

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