The Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 1988

Qualifications of electors and entitlement to vote.

27.—(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, a person shall be qualified to be registered as an elector for the purpose of the election of members of the Legislative Council if, and shall not be so qualified unless, on the qualifying date—

(a) he has attained the age of eighteen years; and

(b) he is resident in the Islands and has been so resident for not less than twelve months, in the aggregate, out of the two years immediately preceding the qualifying date; and

(c) he falls into one of the following categories, that is to say—

(i) he was born in the Islands; or

(ii) he was born outside the Islands of a father or mother either of whom was born in the Islands; or

(iii) he has, under the law in force in the Islands regulating immigration, the status of “Belonger”.

(2) No person shall be qualified to be registered as an elector under this section who on the qualifying date—

(a) is a person certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind under any law in force in the Islands;

(b) is under sentence of death imposed on him by a court of law in any country or is serving a sentence of imprisonment (by whatever name called) for a term exceeding twelve months imposed on him by such a court or substituted by competent authority for some other sentence imposed on him by such a court; or

(c) is disqualified by or under any law in force in the Islands from being registered as an elector by reason of having been convicted of an offence relating to elections.

(3) Section 25(2) of this Constitution shall apply for the purpose of subsection (2)(b) of this section as it applies for the purpose of section 25(1)(e).

(4) In this section “qualifying date” means such date as may be appointed by or under any law as the date with reference to which the qualifications of persons for registration as electors, for the purpose of the election of members of the Legislative Council, are to be ascertained.

(5) A person registered as an elector shall be entitled to vote at an election unless he is prohibited from so doing by reason of his conviction, prior to the election, of an election offence which disqualifies him from voting:

Provided that no person shall be entitled to vote in an electoral district if—

(a) he is not registered as an elector in that district;

(b) he has voted in another electoral district; or

(c) he is in lawful custody.