What is the difference between the Island Council and the Electoral College?

The Island Council

Every four years, the citizens of Statia elect a new Island Council. This governing body adopts the policies and regulations for the upcoming terms as well acts as the supervisory board for the Executive Council. Through voting, residents shape how the island will develop over the next four years.

The eligibility to vote is grounded in the administration of the Civil Registry of the island. If you are listed in the registry and meet the criteria mentioned above, you will automatically receive a voting pass for the elections at home.

The Electoral College

In the Netherlands, the members of the twelve provincial councils elect the members of the First Chamber. However, islands in the Caribbean Netherlands do not belong to a province. Therefore, until recently, the Dutch inhabitants of the islands did not have a vote in the composition of the First Chamber.

In this year's elections, Dutch residents of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba will be able to influence the composition of the First Chamber just like Dutch residents in the European part of the Netherlands do. For this purpose, an Electoral College for the First Chamber has been established on each island. These Electoral Colleges consist of representatives of the public entities who, together with the members of the provincial states and the members of the Electoral College for Dutch voters abroad (Electoral College for non-residents), vote for the elections of the First Chamber. On 15 March, Statians will elect five candidates who will represent us in the Electoral College of St. Eustatius. These candidates will, on our behalf, vote for who will be in the First Chamber.

When and where can you vote?

You can vote for both the Island Council and the Electoral College on Wednesday 15 March 2023, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

You can vote at any of the following polling stations:

The Ernest van Putten Youth Center (Lions Den)	Concordiaweg 24
The Earl Merkman Sports Complex	Sandy Road

Who can vote?

You are eligible to vote in this election if you are:

1. 18 years of age or older on the day of the elections
2. A resident of the Public Entity St. Eustatius on 30 January, 2023 (nomination day). A resident is a person who is registered in the basic administration of the Civil Registry of the island.
3. Of Dutch nationality, OR a resident of the Netherlands for an uninterrupted period of at least five years prior to 30 January, 2023, AND have a valid residence permit.
4. Not stripped of your right to vote. 

What do you need in order to vote?

To vote, you must bring your:

1. Voting Pass

   If eligible, you will receive two voting passes by mail by the first week of March—one for the Island Council elections and the other for the Electoral College elections. If you plan to vote in both elections, bring both voting passes to the polling station on election day.

   The eligibility to vote is grounded in the administration of the Civil Registry of the island. If you are listed in the registry and meet the criteria mentioned above, you will automatically receive a voting pass for the elections at home.

2. Proof of Identity

   This can be either your Dutch passport, identity card, or driver’s licence.

   Please Note: Your ID MUST NOT have expired for more than five years on election day. In other words, the “date of expiry” should read 16 March 2018, or later.

   If your ID has expired for more than five years, apply for a new one at the census office as soon as possible. Please take into account the time it takes to process these documents.

   If you discover on 15 March 2023 that your ID has expired for more than five years, you CANNOT vote.

You CANNOT vote without valid ID and a voting pass.

Did you not receive you voting pass? Is your voting pass missing or damaged?

Request a new voting pass as soon as possible at the census office. This can be done in writing until Friday 10 March, or in person until Tuesday 14 March at 12:00 pm. You must bring valid proof of ID when requesting your new voting pass. The replacement voting pass must be picked up at the census office.

Unable to vote yourself?

If  you cannot get to the polling station because you are, for example, ill or abroad, you can authorise someone else to vote for you. You can do this in two ways:

1.  Private Proxy

   Fill in the back of your voting pass by entering your details, those of the person you authorise, and your signature.

   Give your voting pass along with a copy of your ID to the person you have authorised. A copy of your ID is required; otherwise, the person you have authorised will not be allowed to cast your vote.

2.  Written Proxy

   To use a written power of attorney, you must collect a form from the Cencus Office. Complete this form in full. Make sure the form includes your signature and the signature of the person you want to authorise to cast your vote. Hand in the completed form to the census office no later than Friday 10 March 2023. The authorised representative will be notified when the written proxy is ready.

You can only authorise someone if you are unable to vote yourself.

Who can be authorised?

You can authorise someone if they: 

• are eligible to vote in the same election
• live on the island 
• cast your vote at the same time as their own vote 

Please Note: A voter may vote for a maximum of TWO other voters in an election. 

For more information on proxy voting and voting in the upcoming election, please visit: 

https://www.rijksdienstcn.com

Statia Government Facebook Page

RCN Electoral College Facebook Page

RCN Island Council Facebook Page