KINGSTON, Jamaica; Registered voters who intend to cast their ballots in the upcoming Local Government Election are entitled to three hours’ time-off from work on Election Day. The three hours’ time-off to vote is in addition to the usual lunch hour.

The law however does not apply to persons who commence work at 10:00 a.m. or later or end work at or before 2:00 p.m. Voters are encouraged to make the appropriate arrangements with their employers before Election Day.

The polling stations will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. However, electors are encouraged to vote throughout the day, rather than the first two hours of polling when lines are the longest.

Voters are also reminded to bring their Voters’ ID card on Election Day. If individuals do not take their ID cards with them, they must swear or affirm to an oath of identity and be fingerprinted in order to verify their identity. This increases the amount of time spent in the voting area, resulting in longer waiting times for other voters.

Only persons whose names appear on the May 31, 2016 Voters’ List will be allowed to vote. The only ID card accepted on Election Day is the Elector Registration Identification Card (Voters ID) issued by the Electoral Office.