9 / 22
29
22
22
16
6
7
11
6
37
17
5
6
18
8
3
4
Chart 9: Reasons some Undecided might Vote for the 2 Parties
PNP JLP
Motivations for Voting in the 2016 General Election
The primary reasons for voting in Jamaica are ‘Family Tradition’ and ‘Political Participation’ (to have a
say in the politics or governance of the country), as shown in Chart 10. A significant number of mature
respondents also said that voting is more than political participation and family tradition – it is a
sovereign right that their “forefathers fought and died for to afford us with democracy.” Over 10% of
the JLP respondents expressed explicitly that they were tired of seeing the PNP in power. One of 12 PNP
respondents expressed that their primary reason to vote in the upcoming election was based on the fact
that they personally (as poor and working class) identify with Portia Simpson‐Miller, the Leader of the
PNP.
In Jamaica issues form the most important of the secondary reasons to vote. Only 19 (4 percent of the
UM) respondents were primarily motivated by issues (added to the 22 from the ‘Undecided’
group).There are 5 core issues to voters in Jamaica:
1.
Physical infrastructure (42 respondents) – in ranked order: Motorways (26), housing (10), rural
electricity (4) and water (2).
2.
Economic development (32)
3.
Overall development (26)
4.
Social infrastructure, especially education (22)
5.
Transparency and accountability (11)
9