UDP to Appeal After 114 Challenged Voters Stay on Cayo North List

The United Democratic Party says it will appeal a magistrate’s ruling that keeps 114 challenged voters on the Cayo North voters list. The People’s United Party calls the objections “frivolous and vexatious.”

Magistrate Sashawna Thompson ruled at the San Ignacio Magistrates Court that the 114 voters should stay on the register. Twenty-three other names were struck off. UDP executive member Alberto August says the party’s lawyer has told the magistrate he will appeal.

August says 80 voters were never properly approved by the revising officer, but were placed on the list by the Elections and Boundaries Department and voted in the March 2025 general election.

“The elections and boundaries department placed them without the authority of the revising officer, without the authority of the magistrate, placed them on the Cayo North list and these people voted in the March 2025 general elections.”

He says the party believes democracy in Cayo North is at risk.

“We are of the opinion that especially the Cayo North constituency, our democracy is at risk.”

The PUP says the UDP lodged 147 objections, and that the sitting magistrate upheld an earlier ruling on Wednesday, Nov. 11 to strike off the 23 voters. It says two of the other voters have died and six moved out of the division before the objections were lodged. “The 116 remaining objections were frivolous and vexatious and will remain on the Cayo North Electoral Roll.”