JLP hunts seats via magisterial recounts

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has requested a magisterial recount to decide the winner of the East Westmoreland seat in last Thursday's general election.

This was announced by the party via a press release yesterday. Lead attorney for the JLP, Caroyln Chuck, stated that there were 101 rejected ballots for the constituency.

"We are of the view that many of those were wrongly rejected by the returning officer based on his interpretation of the law," she said.

Daniel Lawrence, the JLP candidate is seeking the recount after Saturday's official recount by the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ).

The seat was previously declared in favour of Lawrence following the preliminary count last Thursday which saw him polling 4,831 to the People's National Party's Luther

However, the recount ended in a tie with both men receiving 4,834 votes, while independent candidate Haile Mika'el received 34 votes.

Chuck says that while she is unable to give an exact figure, she believes the majority of the rejected ballots were cast for the JLP candidate.

"We therefore believe that a court will overturn several of those rulings by the returning officer on those rejected ballots in favour of the JLP based on law," Chuck said.

Chuck also stated that a magisterial recount for the constituencies of the South East St Ann, represented by the JLP's Delroy Granston, and North West St Catherine, represented by Newton Amos, will be filed in short order. Granston lost to PNP incumbent Lisa Hanna by 32 votes, while Amos to the PNP's Hugh Graham by 22 votes.