Elections in Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Trinidad and Tobago

Elections in Trinidad and Tobago gives information on election and election results in Trinidad and Tobago.

Trinidad and Tobago elects on national level a House of Representatives (the Lower House of its legislature). The head of government the Prime Minister, is chosen from among the elected representatives on the basis of his/ her command of the support of the majority of legislators. The Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 41 members, elected for a maximum five-year term in single-seat constituencies. The Senate has 31 members: 16 Government Senators appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 6 Opposition Senators appointed on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 9 so-called Independent Senators appointed by the President to represent other sectors of civil society. The president is elected for a five-year term by an electoral college consisting of the members of both houses of Parliament. Other elected bodies include the Local Government bodies in Trinidad (2 cities, 3 boroughs, 9 Regional Corporations)[1] and the Tobago House of Assembly which handles local government in the island of Tobago and is entrenched in the Constitution.

Until 1925 Trinidad and Tobago was a British Colony ruled through a pure, unelected Crown Colony system, although elected Borough and Municipal Councils existed in Port of Spain and San Fernando. The first elections to the Legislative Council took place in 1925. Seven of the thirteen unofficial members were elected, six unofficials were nominated by the Governor, and twelve official members sat in the Legislative Council on an ex-officio basis. The Governor had the right to an ordinary vote and an additional casting vote, to break any tie. The franchise was determined by income, property and residence qualifications, and was limited to men over the age of 21 and women over the age of 30. The 1946 elections were the first with universal adult suffrage, during which time there existed an even number of elected and unelected members (excluding the Governor).

Latest elections

General elections

2015 general elections

Results of the 2015 general election - Winning party vote strength by constituency.
 Summary of the 7 September 2015 House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago election results
Parties Votes % Seats
People's National Movement378,44751.68%23
People's Partnership Coalition 341,59746.64%18
Independent Liberal Party5,1230.70%0
Others7,1730.98%0
Total valid votes 732,340 100.00 41
Invalid/blank votes 2,452––
Total (turnout 66.84%) 734,792100
Source: EBC

2010 general elections

 Summary of the 24 May 2010 House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago election results
Parties Votes % Seats
People's Partnership Coalition 432,026 60.03 29
People's National Movement 285,354 39.65 12
New National Vision 1,998 0.28 0
Independents 349 0.05 0
Total valid (turnout 69.45%) 719,727 100.00 41
Invalid 2,595
Total 722,322
Source: EBC

2007 general elections

 Summary of the 5 November 2007 House of Representatives of Trinidad and Tobago election results
Parties Votes % Seats
People's National Movement 299,813 45.85 26
United National Congress–Alliance 194,425 29.73 15
Congress of the People 148,041 22.64 0
Democratic Action Congress 8,801 1.35 0
Democratic National Assembly 376 0.01 0
Independents 120 0.00 0
Total valid (turnout 66%) 651,576 100.00 41
Invalid 2,306
Total 653,882
Source: EBC

2002 general elections

Summary of the 2002 election results

Parties Votes % Seats
People's National Movement 298,629 50.9 20
United National Congress 284,391 46.9 16
Others 13,614 2.2 0
Rejected 2,804 - -

1956 federal elections

Party Seats Won Votes
People's National Movement 4 47.4%
Democratic Labour Party 6 47.4%
Butler Party 0 4.9%
Independents 0 0.2%
Rejected 1.8%

1950 general elections

Party Seats Won Votes
Butler Home Rule Party 8 23.4%
Political Progress Groups 2 3.3%
Caribbean Socialist Party 2 12.4%
Trinidad Labour Party 2 7.7%
Trades Union Council 0 4.5%
Independents 6 46.7%
Rejected 4.3%

(A.P.T. James contested and won the Tobago seat on both a Butler Party and CSP ticket; James' votes are only counted in the Butler Party total).

Local elections

Trinidad

2003 local government elections

|Summary of the 2003 Local Government election results Votes % Seats
People's National Movement   ?? ?? 83
United National Congress  ?? 43
National Alliance for Reconstruction   ?? 00
Independents   ?? 00
Total 378,637 100 126

1999 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
National Alliance for Reconstruction 0 0.2%
People's National Movement 67 46.3%
United National Congress 57 51.5%
PPM 0 0.0%
Independents 0 1.0%
Rejected 0.9%

1996 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
National Alliance for Reconstruction 0 5.6%
People's National Movement 63 43.7%
United National Congress 61 49.9%
Independents 0 0.6%
Rejected 0.8%

1992 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
National Alliance for Reconstruction 0 11.0%
People's National Movement 86 50.3%
United National Congress 53 36.9%
Independents 0 0.8%
Rejected 1.0%

1987 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
National Alliance for Reconstruction 79 58.5%
People's National Movement 46 39.3%
People's Popular Movement 0 0.1%
Progressive Workers Democrat Movement 0 0.0%
Independents 0 1.6%
Rejected 0.6%

1983 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
National Alliance 40 34.0%
Organisation for National Reconstruction 26 20.1%
People's National Movement 54 39.1%
National Joint Action Committee 0 5.3%
Curepe United People's Committee 0 0.1%
Independents 0 0.5%
Rejected 0.9%

1980 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
People's National Movement 100 57.8%
United Labour Front 9 31.9%
Point Fortin Vigilante Welfare Group 0 1.3%
Tapia House Movement 0 0.4%
Independents 4 7.6%
Rejected 1.0%

1977 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
Democratic Action Committee 4 6.6%
People's National Movement 69 51.1%
United Labour Front 27 37.8%
Democratic Labour Party 0 1.2%
Tapia House Movement 0 0.3%
Independents 0 2.4%
Rejected 0.7%

1971 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
People's National Movement 90 52.1%
National Progressive Party 1 4.0%
Independents 9 43.8%
Rejected 0.0%

Election boycott

1968 local government elections

Party Seats Won Votes
People's National Movement 68 49.4%
Democratic Labour Party 28 40.0%
United Country Group, St Andrew-St. David 0 0.8%
Independents 4 9.3%
Rejected 0.0%

1959 county council elections

Party Seats Won Votes
People's National Movement 34 48.1%
Democratic Labour Party 33 41.6%
Butler Party 2 2.9%
Independents 3 2.7%
Rejected 0.8%

Tobago

See also

References

  1. ↑ Julien, Joel (26 July 2010). "T&T goes to the polls again". Trinidad and Tobago Express. Retrieved 26 Jul 2010. There are 14 municipalities comprising two cities, three boroughs and nine regional corporations up for grabs today. There are 134 electoral districts in all and a councillor has to be elected for each district.
  • Matthias Catón: "Trinidad and Tobago" in: Elections in the Americas. A Data Handbook, vol. 1, ed. by Dieter Nohlen. Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2005: pp. 627–646 ISBN 0-19-928357-5
  • Kirk Meighoo: Politics in a Half Made Society: Trinidad and Tobago, 1925-2002, 2003 ISBN 1-55876-306-6
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