‘It is your right to vote’ is the statement touted to Jamaicans as the election campaign machineries were set in motion.

But, as depicted in elections passed, there has been a gradual increase in voter apathy — a lack of interest in the electoral process — hence a decrease in voter turnout.

Voter turnout in Thursday’s election hit an all-time low in Jamaica’s history, as less than half the electors came out to vote, leaving many surprised and in disbelief.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) preliminary count of the ballots revealed that of the 1,824,412 electors, only 870,663 voted — a depiction of 47.7 per cent of the enumerated populace — which led to a victory to the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

The apathetic demeanour toward the political system is believed to be prevalent among the country’s youth, who often are left out of the loop as politicians rally their base supporters.

In anticipation of the 2016 election, Jamaica’s youth have been calling for more from politicians and the political system. Some millennials took to social media in the recent campaign voicing their disgust and disappointment in politicians and the issues in the political system.

“I haven’t seen any party making much of a difference, so like the average youth, I did not vote because of a lack of faith in the politicians,” final year pharmacology student at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Leohrandra Graham, told the

Jamaica Observer.

Like Graham, 22-year-old social science student, Theoneil Myles noted his reservation in the politicians.

When asked why he didn’t act on his franchise, he said: “Jamaica is doomed with whichever party you vote in.”

Danuel Williams, 22, believes that though he did not physically cast a ballot and get his finger inked, his statement of no confidence was made just as though he had gone into the polling station.

When asked why he did not vote, Williams said: “Because over the years of witnessing both administrations, and looking at where we are now, I haven’t seen the need to exercise my right because I am left with no choices.

“So you can almost say that I did vote, but it was a vote of no confidence in both major parties,” he argued.

For 22-year-old Kimeesha Campbell, various party supporters who paraded the streets and made their presence known outside of the polling stations on Thursday was cause for concern and discouraged her from voting.

“I didn’t feel very safe. I guess all the green and orange people intimidated me, just seeing all the people there in their colours Guess it was just in my head, but there’s a fear around election season,” she said when asked why she didn’t vote.

Alluding to the controversy that halted the electoral debates, Campbell added that she wanted to hear more of the parties’ policies and would have “loved” if they were debated.

The debates were dodged by the then governing People’s National Party (PNP) after laying out certain conditions that were not met. The PNP had indicated that the party would only agree to a debate only if Prime Minister-designate Andrew Holness complied with their request for him to apologise to the then prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, for an unflattering comment that he had made about her. The PNP also wanted Holness to retract statements that he had made regarding the February 7 fatal shooting while the JLP was holding its mass rally in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, where three people were shot and killed.

Additionally, the PNP had asked Holness to answer several questions regarding his Beverly Hills property, including financial arrangements.

Seen as an arrogant stance by the PNP, some Jamaicans were outraged by the party’s decisions and argued that the party “dissed” the country.

But the events on the campaign trail were not the only ones to deter some last Thursday, as Campbell also noted that she dislikes the first-past-the-post system that the country’s politics models among other issues.

“This is because if I vote for a JLP candidate, [it] doesn’t necessarily mean I want that particular leader as prime minister and vice versa. Maybe this is just wishful thinking, but I wish we’d stop playing politics now and really address lingering issues in the country. The buying votes and intimidation is really counterproductive and just disappointing,” she said.

“I know steps have been made to maintain the integrity of the voting and campaigning system but the corruption continues. This only shows that we need a change in mentality or attitudes, and not just a change in government,” she continued.

Nashana Campbell, a final year actuarial science student at the UWI, found it difficult to travel from her residing address to where she is enlisted.

“As a first-time elector, I really wanted to participate in the election process by casting a ballot, but I was unable to do so because on the date selected for the general election; I already had prior engagements. These included work and school. Both institutions gave the time off for voting, but because of the distance of my polling station from my residing address, it was impossible to get there and back in three hours,” Campbell told the Sunday Observer.

Though there are provisions to change what polling station one is enlisted, Campbell lobbied for more from the voting process.

“I would have really preferred if election dates are fixed and also for the ability of online voting,” she said.

Election observers from the Organization of American States (OAS), who were on the ground days before the general election, at a press conference on Friday recommended that measures be implemented to accommodate voters who reside outside of their registered constituency who were disenfranchised.

Samantha Williams – music student at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts – did not vote on Thursday because she did not have a voter’s ID. Though interested in the process, she would have loved the opportunity to vote, but the process to acquire the ID has not matched her schedule.

“Well, to be honest, in previous years when I had the intention of getting my identification card, I was informed it would take about six months, which was a huge inconvenience for me, especially since I’m a musician and I travel regularly,” Williams said.

A voters’ list is published twice yearly in Jamaica. After applying for the card, an EOJ official visits the applicant’s home to verify the individual’s address — a process which proves difficult for university students who have relocated for school.

According to the EOJ website, depending on when an individual is registered, they should get their card within 4-8 months. In justifying the timeframe, the site stated that: “You can only receive your ID after your name has been added to the voters’ list. ID cards are only created for persons who are on the current voters’ list and the length of your wait time is dependent on this. The voters’ list is updated every six months — on May 31 and November 30 each year. There is a two-month cut-off date prior to publication. Therefore, persons who register between October 1 and March 30 will receive their cards after the May 31 publication. Persons who register between April 1 and September 30 will receive their cards after the November 30 publication.”

Williams, who now has approximately five years before she can vote in the next general election, says that she will work to get the ID.

“I do have every intention of acquiring my national ID for the next election and will try my best to do so,” she noted, describing her reason for not voting as “sad”.