The Pitcairn Island Council has decided that election day will be Friday 11 December 2009 (Saturday 12 December New Zealand time).  Elections will be for the Deputy Mayor and four Councillors who are each expected to serve a two year term.  Nomination day will be 16 November.  The Island Secretary and Acting Mayor are in the process of compiling the Register of voters which should be completed before 7 November and will be posted on the public noticeboard in Adamstown and on this website.  Eligible voters have four options for voting:

1. In person at the Public Hall, Adamstown on 11 December
2. In person at the British High Commission, 44 Hill Street, Wellington on or before 9 December
3. In person at the Pitcairn Island Office, Level 17, IAG House, 151 Queen Street, Auckland on or before 9 December.
4. By proxy

If you wish to vote by proxy, you must complete the attached form nominating the person who you wish to cast your vote on your behalf and return it to the Island Secretary at isec@pitcairn.gov.pn between 15 November and 4 December 2009.

Proxy voting form

Nominations

Nominations Deputy Mayor 2009 Elections

1. Brown Len Calvin Davis ( Dave)
2. Christian Jacqueline Beth
3. Lupton-Christian Vera Amelia Brenda
4. Warren Jay Calvin
5. Warren Paul Kelvin
6. Young Simon

Nominations Councillors 2009 Elections

1. Brown David James
2. Brown Lea Michelle
3. Brown Len Calvin Davis ( Dave)
4. Christian Jacqueline Beth
5. Griffiths Turi Vaipo
6. Lupton-Christian Vera Amelia Brenda
7. Randall Andrew Michael Basil
8. Warren Carol Grace
9. Warren Jay Calvin
10. Warren Paul Kelvin
11. Young Simon

If you wish to vote at the Pitcairn Island Office Telephone:(09) 366 0186 or British High Commission Telephone:(04) 924 2884) please contact the respective office beforehand so appropriate arrangements may be made to handle your vote.

Register of Voters 2009

Voter Eligibility

A question has arisen over the eligibility to vote for persons who have been posted on the island in a professional capacity (on a fixed term contract) and have then decided to live there permanently.  Assuming they were not born on Pitcairn or qualify as the spouse or partner of a voter, the qualifications for such a person to be eligible to vote are that, at the time of the elections, they must:-

1. be normally resident on the island;
2. have been so resident for a continuous period of not less than 3 years;
3. intend to remain there indefinitely.

Legal advice has been taken over the meaning of “normally resident” in the context of the Local Government Ordinance.  The question is whether a professional working on a fixed-term contract on the island can be considered to be normally resident for the purpose of voter eligibility.

How “normally resident” is legally defined can be different depending on the context in which it is used.  For Local Government elections the aim is to give those who live in the community for a certain time and who intend to remain there the right to vote for their Government.  With that in mind “normally resident” is taken to mean where people actually live (without any need to delve into the reasons why they are living there)

So, if someone is living on the island at the time of the elections, has been living there for a continuous period of at least 3 years and intends to remain there indefinitely, they qualify to vote.  If they are aged at least 21 years old, they may also stand for election as a Councillor.