General Right to Vote
Constitution:
(1979)
Section 27, subsection (2) states, "Every Commonwealth citizen of
the age of eighteen years or upwards who possesses such qualifications relating
to residence or domicile in Saint Vincent as Parliament may prescribe shall,
unless he is disqualified by Parliament from registration as a voter for the
purpose of electing Representatives, be entitled to be registered as such a
voter in accordance with the provisions of any law in that behalf, and no other
person may be so registered. (b) Every person who is registered as aforesaid
in any constituency shall, unless he is disqualified by Parliament from voting
in that constituency in any election of Representatives, be entitled so to vote
in accordance with the provisions of any law in that behalf, and no other person
may so vote."
Exclusion Based on Mental
Disability
Constitution:
(1979)
Section 26, subsection (1) states: "No person shall be qualified
to be elected or appointed as a Representative or Senator
if he
(f)
is a person certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind
under any such law
"
Electoral Law:
(1982: S.R.O. 61)
Section 6 states: "A person is disqualified from being registered
as a voter and shall not be so registered if he: (a) is a person found or declared
to be a person of unsound mind or a patient in any establishment maintained
wholly or mainly for the reception and treatment of persons suffering from mental
illness or mental defectiveness by virtue of any enactment
"
Section 35, subsection (1) states: "No person shall be qualified
to be elected or appointed as a representative or senator
if he
(f)
is a person certified to be insane or otherwise adjudged to be of unsound mind
under any law
"
Exclusion Based on Physical
Disability
Constitution:
(1979)
Section 25 states: "Subject to the provisions of section 26 of this
Constitution, a person shall be qualified to be elected as a Representative
if, and shall not be so qualified unless, he
(c) is able to speak and,
unless incapacitated by blindness or other physical cause, to read the English
language with sufficient proficiency to enable him to take an active part in
the proceedings of the Senate."
Voter Assistance by Other
Citizens
Electoral Law:
(1967: House of Assembly Rules)
Rule 33, states:
o "(1) If a voter makes an application to the presiding officer to be allowed
on the ground of blindness or other physical cause to vote with the assistance
of another person by whom he is accompanied, in these Rules referred to as 'the
companion' the presiding officer shall require the voter to declare orally whether
he is so incapacitated by his blindness or otherwise as to be unable to vote
without assistance.
o (2) If the presiding officer is satisfied that the voter is so incapacitated,
and is also satisfied by a written declaration made by the companion
that
the companion is a qualified person within the meaning of this rule and has
not previously assisted more than one blind or incapacitated person to vote
at the election, the presiding officer shall grant the application and thereupon
anything which is by these rules required to be done to or by the said voter
in connection with the giving of this vote may be done to, or with assistance
of, the companion.
o (3) For the purpose of this rule, a person shall be qualified to assist a
blind person or incapacitated voter to vote, if that person is either (a) a
person who is entitled to vote as a voter at the election; or (b) the father,
mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, son or daughter of the blind or incapacitated
voter and has attained the age of eighteen."