2019 Trinidadian local elections

Last updated

2019 Trinidadian local elections
Flag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg
  2016 2 December 2019 2023  

All 14 Municipal Corporation Electoral Areas
Opinion polls
Turnout34.7% (Increase2.svg 0.2 pp)
  KeithRowley.jpg Kamla Persad-Bissesar 2013.jpg
Leader Keith Rowley Kamla Persad-Bissesar
Party PNM UNC
Leader since26 May 201024 January 2010
Last election83 councillors, 48.2%
8 municipal corporations
54 councillors, 49.9%
6 municipal corporations
Popular vote161,962
43.60%
202,584
54.59%
SwingDecrease2.svg 4.76%Increase2.svg 4.48%
Municipal Corporations
7 / 14
7 / 14
Municipal Corporations +/–Decrease2.svg 1Increase2.svg 1
Councillors
72 / 139
67 / 139
Councillors +/–Decrease2.svg11Increase2.svg13

Trinidad local election 2019 - Results by Corporation.svg
Map showing the 2019 Trinidadian local election results of the 14 corporations.

Local elections in Trinidad and Tobago were held on 2 December 2019, [1] contesting 139 electoral districts across Trinidad's 14 municipal corporation electoral areas. [2] [3] [4]

Contents

With the exception of those areas that have had boundary changes, the seats up for election were last contested in the 2016 local elections.

Both parties won control of seven of the 14 corporations with the People's National Movement (PNM) losing their minority control status in the Sangre Grande regional corporation. The PNM won 72 of the 139 electoral districts, but lost the popular vote and 11 electoral districts: Sangre Grande North West in the Sangre Grande regional corporation, Lengua/Indian Walk in the Princes Town Regional Corporation, Siparia West/Fyzabad in the Siparia Regional Corporation, Cocal/Mafeking in the Mayaro–Rio Claro Regional Corporation, Enterprise South/Longdenville North in the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, Caura/Paradise/Tacarigua in the Tunapuna–Piarco Regional Corporation, Les Effort West/La Romaine, Marabella West and Marabella West/Vistabella in the San Fernando City Corporation while gaining two from the United National Congress, in the San Juan–Laventille Regional Corporation, San Juan East and Barataria. The UNC also won the newly created districts of El Socorro/Aranguez North and La Fortune/Debe North, in the San Juan–Laventille and Penal–Debe Regional Corporation.

Seats held prior to the election

The major political parties were defending the following numbers of electoral districts from municipal corporations on election day:

These numbers are how many seats each party had won at the previous election, in 2016, rather than which party held the seat on the eve of the election.

Eligibility to vote

All registered electors (Trinidadians and Tobagonians, Commonwealth and Non-Commonwealth citizens) who will be aged 18 or over, resided legally in Trinidad and Tobago and have resided in an electoral district/constituency for a least two months prior to the election date are entitled to vote in the local elections. [5]

Parties and standings

Political parties registered with the Elections and Boundaries Commission can contest the local elections. The following registered parties contested the local elections:

PartyFoundedIdeologyLeader(s)Leader sinceLast electionAt dissolutionNotes
 % party voteMunicipal CorporationsElectoral districtsMunicipal CorporationsElectoral districts
PNM 1955 Liberalism, Social liberalism, Moderate nationalism Keith Rowley May 2010
48.24%
8 / 14(57%)
83 / 137(61%)
8 / 14(57%)
84 / 137(61%)
UNC 1989 Democratic socialism, Social democracy, Third Way Kamla Persad-Bissessar January 2010
49.90%
6 / 14(43%)
54 / 137(39%)
6 / 14(43%)
53 / 137(39%)
COP 2006 Reformism Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan November 2017
0.50%
0 / 14(0%)
0 / 137(0%)
0 / 14(0%)
0 / 137(0%)
MSJ 2010 Social justice, Direct democracy David Abdulah January 2012
0.22%
0 / 14(0%)
0 / 137(0%)
0 / 14(0%)
0 / 137(0%)
PPM2019 Localism Louis Lee SingOctober 2019
MND 2019 (refounded) Diego Martin regionalism Garvin NicholasSeptember 2019
NTP 1995 Localism, Nationalism [6] Ursus Daniel [7]

Campaign slogans

PartySlogan
People's National Movement"We Getting it Done" [8]
"Doing it Right" [9]
United National Congress"Worknation" [10]

Opinion polls

The North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) commissioned opinion polling for the next general election regularly sampling the electorates' opinions.

Municipal Corporation projections

DatePollsterSample
size
PNM UNC Other
2 December 2019Local Election results [11] 770
29 November 2019NACTA [12] [13] 7 (+2)5 (+2)0
21 November 2019NACTA [14] 8 (+3)3 (+3)0
11 April 2019NACTA [15] 7 (+3)5 (+3)0
16 July 2018 Barataria and Belmont East Local Government Bye-Elections

Summary results

Elections were conducted under the first-past-the-post system.

Percentage of vote share
  1. PNM (43.5%)
  2. UNC (54.4%)
  3. Other (2.10%)

See also

References

  1. http://www.guardian.co.tt/news/december-2-local-government-elections-6.2.959074.5e638c0aa6 Archived 2019-10-14 at the Wayback Machine PM reveals December 2 local gov't election date: Kamla ready to "meet and beat the PNM"
  2. "Whither local government reform?". trinidadexpress.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  3. "The PNM owed million$ to the bank, says Rowley". trinidadexpress.com. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  4. "'My team will lead TT into the future'". newsday.co.tt. Archived from the original on 2019-02-03. Retrieved 2019-02-03.
  5. "Who is eligible to vote?". ttconnect.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 2019-02-03. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  6. "National Transformation party NTP". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. "National Transformation party NTP". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  8. "Today's PNM 'doctor' bids for blessing of yesterday's". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  9. "Today's PNM 'doctor' bids for blessing of yesterday's". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  10. "Political theatre reality check". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  11. "PNM claims victory by virtue of winning more seats". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 3 December 2019.
  12. "NACTA poll: Close fight in Siparia for LGE". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 2021-05-26. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  13. "NACTA: Close fight in Siparia". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2019-11-30. Archived from the original on 2019-12-22. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  14. "NACTA: Unpredictable outcomes in marginals". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2019-11-21. Archived from the original on 2019-11-22. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  15. "NACTA: Cynical voters in TT". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2019-04-12. Archived from the original on 2020-09-18. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  16. "UNC grabs Grande". Trinidad Express Newspapers. Archived from the original on 2019-12-24. Retrieved 2021-05-26.
  17. "339 vying for 2019 Local Government Elections | Trinidad and Tobago Government News". www.news.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  18. "339 vying for 2019 Local Government Elections | Trinidad and Tobago Government News". www.news.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  19. "MSJ fields 28 candidates but Abdulah not voting". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 1 December 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  20. "Lee Sing says excitement building over his new party". www.guardian.co.tt. Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  21. "The Election Agents and Sub-agents for Candidates contesting the 2019 Local Government Elections | Elections And Boundaries Commission". Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  22. "The Election Agents and Sub-agents for Candidates contesting the 2019 Local Government Elections | Elections And Boundaries Commission". Archived from the original on 23 December 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  23. "National Transformation party NTP". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  24. "339 vying for 2019 Local Government Elections | Trinidad and Tobago Government News". www.news.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  25. "339 vying for 2019 Local Government Elections | Trinidad and Tobago Government News". www.news.gov.tt. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  26. "EBC: 339 candidates contesting Local Government Elections". www.looptt.com. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.
  27. "BATTLE FOR 139 SEATS". Trinidad and Tobago Newsday. 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2019.