The Belize Elections and Boundaries Department is the hands-on administrator of Belizean electoral
politics. It was established in 1989 as a subordinate to the
Elections and Boundaries Commission.
Mission statement
As articulated by the EBD itself: "The Elections and Boundaries Department is committed to the enhancement of democracy through the promotion of voter education and the maintenance of a legitimate, impartial, valid electoral process."
Establishment of the EBD
The EBD was established by amendment to the
Belize Constitution in 1988. The new amendment allowed the EBD's parent body, the EBC, to confer on it its powers in the constitution and the ROPA. Staffing the department was delegated to the Public Services Commission, which nominated all persons in the department including, after a further amendment in 2001, the Chief Elections Officer. The Department and Chief Elections Officer is now under the control of the Prime Minister's Office and reports to him as well as the commission.
The current chief elections officer is Dorothy Bradley, who succeeded Stuart Leslie in December 2006.
Functions of the EBD
The functions of the department are grouped into three categories: Electoral Administration, Adjustment of Electoral Records, and Voter Education. Under these are the following:
Organising and directing the registration of voters
Compiling electoral registers
Updating and maintaining electoral records
Organising the conduct of elections
Preside over the orderly transfer of Electors
To operate a professional electoral service
To strengthen public confidence in the electoral system
To increase the level of voter participation through voter education
Organisation
The EBD's central office is located in Belize City, the municipality with the largest concentration of voters in the country, at P.O. Box 913, Mahogany Street Extension. Other offices include: