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All 41 seats in the House of Representatives 21 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 58.08% (8.76pp) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Results by constituency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, 10 August 2020, [1] to elect 41 members to the 12th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It was the 14th election since gaining independence from the United Kingdom in 1962 and the 22nd national election in Trinidad and Tobago ever. Tracy Davidson-Celestine, political leader of the Tobago Council of the People's National Movement (PNM) became the first woman to lead a Tobagonian political party with representation in the House of Representatives. Additionally, two of the three largest parties elected in 2015, the United National Congress (UNC) and the Congress of the People (COP), were led by women. [2]
President Paula-Mae Weekes, with the advice of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, dissolved Parliament and issued the writs for the election on 3 July 2020. [3]
The first-term incumbent People's National Movement (PNM), led by incumbent Prime Minister Keith Rowley, won 22 seats to form a second five-year term majority government by defeating the opposition United National Congress, led by Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar. [4] [5] [6] Her latest in a series of losses at the polls which commenced with the January 2013 Tobago House of Assembly election with the wipeout of her People's Partnership -led administration from the Tobago House of Assembly due to a landslide victory by the Tobago Council of the PNM, losses at the 2013 Trinidadian local elections, St. Joseph and Chaguanas West bye-elections, loss in the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election, and subsequent losses in local government bye-elections [7] [8] has placed pressure on her to offer her resignation before the 2020 United National Congress leadership election. [9] The UNC finished with 19 seats. The results in six constituencies were subject to recounts, causing the final election results to be delayed by a week. [10] This is the first parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago where the result was not finalized the day after the election. [11]
Voters elected the 41 members to the House of Representatives by first-past-the-post voting. Rowley and the new cabinet were sworn in on 19 August 2020. [12]
The 41 members of the House of Representatives are elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies. Registered voters must be 18 years and over, must reside in an electoral district/constituency for at least two months prior to the qualifying date, be a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago or a Commonwealth citizen residing legally in Trinidad and Tobago for a period of at least one year. [13]
If one party obtains a majority of seats, then that party is entitled to form the Government, with its leader as Prime Minister. If the election results in no single party having a majority, then there is a hung parliament. In this case, the options for forming the Government are either a minority government or a coalition government. [14]
Political parties registered with the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) can contest the general election as a party. [15]
The leader of the party commanding a majority of support in the House of Representatives is the person who is called on by the president to form a government as prime minister, while the leader of the largest party or coalition not in government becomes the Leader of the Opposition. [14]
Prior to the election, the People's National Movement, led by Prime Minister Keith Rowley formed a majority government. The largest opposition party was the United National Congress, led by Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The Congress of the People was the sole other party in Parliament, represented by a single MP.
The People's National Movement and the United National Congress have been the two biggest parties, in addition to having supplied every prime minister since 1991. [16]
On 14 July 2020, the leader of the Patriotic Front, Mickela Panday, announced that her party will no longer be contesting the 2020 elections due to lack of time to prepare for the August 2020 polls. [17]
The following registered parties are contesting the general election, the People's National Movement is the only party fielding all 41 seats (39 in Trinidad and two in Tobago), 14 parties are contesting seats in Trinidad only and four parties are contesting seats in Tobago only. [18]
Party | Founded | Political position and ideology | Leader(s) | Leader since | Leader's seat | Last election | At dissolution | Contested seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% party vote | Seats | |||||||||
Major party not part of any coalition | ||||||||||
PNM | 1955 | Centre to centre-left Liberalism, Social liberalism, Nationalism | Keith Rowley | May 2010 | Diego Martin West | 23 / 41 (56%) | 23 / 41 (56%) | 41 seats in Trinidad and Tobago |
Party | Founded | Political position and ideology | Leader(s) | Leader since | Leader's seat | Last election | At dissolution | Contested seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% party vote | Seats | |||||||||
Major party not part of any coalition | ||||||||||
UNC | 1989 | Centre-left Social democracy, Civic nationalism | Kamla Persad-Bissessar | January 2010 | Siparia | 17 / 41 (41%) | 17 / 41 (41%) | 39 seats in Trinidad [19] | ||
Better United Coalition | ||||||||||
COP | 2006 | Centre-left Reformism | Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan [20] | November 2017 | None | 1 / 41 (2%) | 1 / 41 (2%) | 4 seats in Trinidad | ||
DPTT | 2002 | Steve Alvarez [21] | April 2002 | None | – | – | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | ||
TTDF | 2019 | Nicholas Anthony Williams [22] | August 2019 [23] | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | |||
Not part of any coalition | ||||||||||
PEP | 2017 | Phillip Alexander [24] | January 2017 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 28 seats in Trinidad | |||
THC | 2015 | Marcus Ramkissoon [25] | July 2015 | None | 0 / 41 (0%) | 0 / 41 (0%) | 7 seats in Trinidad | |||
NNV | 1994 | Social conservatism | Fuad Abu Bakr [22] | April 2010 | None | 0 / 41 (0%) | 0 / 41 (0%) | 6 seats in Trinidad | ||
MSJ | 2009 | Left-wing Socialism, Labourism, Direct democracy | David Abdulah [26] | January 2012 [27] | None | – | – | 0 / 41 (0%) | 5 seats in Trinidad | |
MND | 2019 | Diego Martin regionalism | Garvin Nicholas [28] | September 2019 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 3 seats in Trinidad | ||
NCT | 2013 | Nalini Dial [29] | July 2013 | None | 0 / 41 (0%) | 0 / 41 (0%) | 2 seats in Trinidad | |||
ILP | 2013 | Rekha Ramjit [30] | October 2015 | None | 0 / 41 (0%) | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | |||
TNP | 2017 | Valmiki Ramsingh [31] | July 2017 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | |||
UPP | 2018 | Right-wing Christian right, Social conservatism | Kenneth Munroe-Brown [32] | December 2018 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | ||
Progressive | 2019 | Centre to centre-left Progressivism, Decentralization, Localism | Nikoli Edwards [33] | June 2019 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad | ||
NOW | 2020 | Kirk Waithe [34] | January 2020 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Trinidad |
Party | Founded | Political position and ideology | Leader(s) | Leader since | Leader's seat | Last election | At dissolution | Contested seats | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
% party vote | Seats | |||||||||
Not part of any coalition | ||||||||||
PDP | 2016 | Tobago regionalism | Watson Duke [35] | July 2016 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 2 seats in Tobago | ||
OTV | 2019 | Tobago regionalism | Hochoy Charles [35] | October 2019 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Tobago | ||
UTP | 2020 | Tobago regionalism | Nickocy Phillips [36] | July 2020 | None | New party | 0 / 41 (0%) | 1 seat in Tobago |
Retiring incumbent | Electoral District | Term in office | Date announced | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Surujrattan Rambachan | UNC | Tabaquite | 2010–2020 | 14 August 2019 [37] | |
Fuad Khan | UNC | Barataria/San Juan | 1995–2007; 2010–2020 | 9 November 2019 [38] | |
Ganga Singh | UNC | Chaguanas West | 1995–2007 (Caroni East); 2015–2020 | 8 March 2020 [39] | |
Maxie Cuffie | PNM | La Horquetta/Talparo | 2015–2020 | 13 May 2020 [40] | |
Tim Gopeesingh | UNC | Caroni East | 2007–2020 | 4 June 2020 [41] |
Significant differences in the programs of the two major parties UNC and PNM cannot be identified. The UNC is traditionally more of an Indo-Trinidadian party, while Afro-Trinidadians and Tobagonians make up the majority of the PNM's base. In Trinidad, however, racial differences play a subordinate role, the dominant subject areas in the media are the stagnating economy and the high rate of violent crime; here both parties claim that they are better suited to combat them. [42] In the closing stages of the election campaign, Prime Minister Rowley and citizens accused the UNC of using racist motives in its advertising campaign. [43]
Some parties only represent regional positions. This applies in particular to the parties PDP and OTV, who are running exclusively in Tobago and advocate for regional interests of the island [35] and the MND, which advocates the interests of the Diego Martin region. [28]
The announcement by the opposition UNC that, in the event of an election victory, would build a “dome” over Trinidad to protect against illegal immigrants, made the election campaign relaxed. Before the UNC made it clear that it meant a radar screen, users of social media picked up the topic and indulged in humorous allusions to domes in films and television series. [44]
The resignation of former deputy PNM chairwoman Nafeesa Mohammed on July 28, who accused the PNM leadership of arrogance, ignorance and incompetence, caused a media stir. [45] The Leader of the Opposition, former prime minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was threatened with death during the election campaign. [46] Minor parties and bodies called on the President to postpone the election in view of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was also rampant in Trinidad, but their requests were denied. [47] A UNC supporter was stabbed on the sidelines of a UNC election campaign on the Saturday before the election. [48]
The following lists identify and rank seats by the margin by which the party's candidate finished behind the winning candidate in the 2015 election.
For information purposes only, seats that have changed hands through subsequent by elections have been noted. Seats whose members have changed party allegiance are ignored.
Party | Slogan | |
---|---|---|
PNM | "The right choice." [50] [51] | |
UNC | "Now is the time." [52] | |
COP | "Making the quantum leap." [53] | |
DPTT | "The way forward for Trinidad and Tobago." [54] | |
TTDF | "People first." [23] | |
PEP | "Time for real change." [55] | |
THC | "Good governance is at your fingertips." [56] | |
NNV | "Believe in better." [57] | |
MSJ | "Create a balance." [26] | |
MND | "We are from Diego Martin, for Diego Martin." [58] | |
NCT | "Think before you ink." [29] | |
ILP | "Performance, Representation, Action" [59] | |
TNP | "Change not exchange!" [31] | |
UPP | ||
Progressive | "Progressive 2020. The new normal." [60]
| |
NOW | "Time is now." [62] | |
PDP | "People before politics." [63] | |
OTV | “Tobago must play as a team or lose by the fault.” [35] | |
UTP |
Opinion research in the run-up to the election was carried out by the North American Caribbean Teachers Association (NACTA) and the management consultancy HHB Associates, among others. A NACTA poll shortly after the election date was announced, found that, as in most previous elections, only PNM and UNC would play a role. [64] An HHB poll published July 25 in the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian found the ruling PNM at 53% and the UNC at 44%. [65] A NACTA poll from July 25, however, saw the UNC one percentage point ahead. [66] At this point in time, the tendency, known from previous elections, was that Trinidadians with African roots tend to choose the PNM and Trinidadians with Indian roots rather the UNC.
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org. |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | COP | Other | Legislative majority |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | 22 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 3 | |
Prime Minister Keith Rowley announces that the election will take place on 10 August 2020 and parliament is dissolved. | |||||||
COVID-19 lockdown ends | |||||||
Ancil Dennis becomes Chief Secretary of Tobago [67] [68] | |||||||
COP, PPM, DPTT and TTDF agree to form a coalition [69] | |||||||
Trinidad and Tobago commences a nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||||
The first case of COVID-19 is confirmed in Trinidad and Tobago, pre-campaigning partially suspended on 13 March [70] [71] | |||||||
2020 Tobago Council of the PNM election; Tracy Davidson-Celestine is elected leader | |||||||
PNM wins more districts, ties in number of corporations won to the UNC in the 2019 Trinidadian local elections | |||||||
The 2019 budget is delivered | |||||||
Aug 2019 | NACTA/Newday [72] | – | 23 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Apr 2019 | NACTA/Newsday [73] | – | 26 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 11 |
Mar 2019 | NACTA/Newsday [74] | 540 | 25 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
The 2018 budget is delivered | |||||||
Sep 2018 | NACTA/Newsday [75] | – | 23 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
Barataria and Belmont East Local Government By-Elections | |||||||
2018 Trinidad and Tobago presidential election; Paula-Mae Weekes is elected president | |||||||
Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan is elected leader of the COP [20] [76] [77] [78] | |||||||
The Tobago Council of the PNM wins the 2017 Tobago House of Assembly election; Kelvin Charles becomes Chief Secretary of Tobago | |||||||
The 2017 budget is delivered | |||||||
PNM wins the 2016 Trinidadian local elections | |||||||
The 2016 budget is delivered | |||||||
Anirudh Mahabir is elected leader of the COP [79] [80] | |||||||
Kelvin Charles is elected leader of the Tobago Council of the PNM [81] | |||||||
The People's Partnership splits up [82] | |||||||
PNM wins the Auzonville/Tunapuna and Malabar South Local Government By-Elections | |||||||
The 2015 budget is delivered | |||||||
Keith Rowley is sworn in as Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago | |||||||
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 23 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | PDP | PEP | COP | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 49.1 | 47.1 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 1.3 | 1.99 |
July 24–31, 2020 | SBS/Express [83] | 473 | 43 | 38 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 5 |
July 25, 2020 | NACTA/Newsday [84] | – | 44 | 45 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
July 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [85] | 600 | 35 | 29 | – | – | 0 | 2 | 6 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 51.7 | 39.6 | – | – | 6.0 | 3.7 | 12.1 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | PDP | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 54.35 | 44.74 | 0.91 | 9.61 |
July 2020 | NACTA/Newsday [86] | (380) | 47 | 42 | 11 | 5 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 69.48 | – | 30.52 | 53.78 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | PDP | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 66.81 | 32.42 | 0.77 | 34.39 |
July 2020 | NACTA/Newsday [86] | (380) | 48 | 40 | 12 | 9 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 79.20 | – | 20.8 | 67.24 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 35.92 | 52.34 | 11.74 | 16.42 |
July 25, 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [87] | 200 | 34 | 23 | 43 | 11 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 51.15 | 48.62 | 0.23 | 2.53 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 51.42 | 46.96 | 1.62 | 4.46 |
July 25, 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [87] | 200 | 40 | 31 | 29 | 9 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 53.77 | 45.44 | 0.79 | 8.33 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 54.51 | 42.87 | 2.62 | 11.64 |
July 25, 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [88] | – | 49 | 29 | 22 | 20 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 59.24 | 39.85 | 0.91 | 19.39 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 54.63 | 43.51 | 1.86 | 11.12 |
July 25, 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [89] | – | 39 | 23 | 38 | 16 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 59.42 | 40.29 | 0.29 | 19.13 |
Date [nb 1] | Pollster | Sample size | PNM | UNC | Other | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 Aug 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 58.66 | 40.10 | 1.24 | 18.23 |
July 25, 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [90] | – | 32 | 19 | 49 | 13 |
7 Sep 2015 | 2015 general election | – | 59.04 | 39.84 | 0.91 | 19.20 |
Date [nb 1] | Firm | Interview Mode | Sample size | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rowley (PNM) | Persad-Bissessar (UNC) | ||||||||||
Satisfied | Dissatisfied | Never heard of | Satisfied | Dissatisfied | Never heard of | ||||||
July 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [91] | Face-to-face | 600 | 57% | 43% | 0% | 53% | 44% | 3% | ||
31 May 2020 | NACTA/Newsday [92] | n/a | n/a | 53% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | ||
March 2020 | NACTA/Newsday [92] | n/a | n/a | 46% | n/a | n/a | 55% | n/a | n/a | ||
1–7 September 2019 | SBS/Express [93] | Telephone | n/a | 50% | 38% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | ||
8 March 2019 | NACTA/Newsday [74] | Face-to-face | 540 | 40% | 47% | n/a | 42% | 44% | n/a | ||
24 September 2017 | NACTA/Newsday [94] | Face-to-face | 390 | 40% | n/a | n/a | 42% | n/a | n/a | ||
1–3 September 2017 | H.H.B. & Associates/Guardian Media [95] | Telephone | 301 | 32% | n/a | n/a | 43% | 38% | n/a | ||
July 2017 | NACTA/Newsday [94] | Face-to-face | 410 | 41% | n/a | n/a | 43% | n/a | n/a | ||
June 2017 | NACTA/Newsday [94] | Face-to-face | 380 | 42% | n/a | n/a | 43% | n/a | n/a | ||
30 August – 5 September 2016 | SBS/Express [96] | Telephone | 601 | 51% | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | ||
^ Remainder were "undecided". |
Date [nb 1] | Firm | Interview Mode | Sample size | Lead | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rowley (PNM) | Persad-Bissessar (UNC) | |||||||
July 2020 | H.H.B. & Associates [91] | Face-to-face | 600 | 39% | 34% | 5% | ||
March 2020 | NACTA [92] | n/a | n/a | 43% | 45% | 2% | ||
^ Remainder were "undecided". |
Date [nb 1] | Polling organisation | Interview Mode | Sample size | Right direction | Wrong direction | Lead |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 August 2020 | SBS/Express [83] | Telephone | 473 | 47 | 41 | 6 |
24 September 2017 | NACTA [94] | Face-to-face | 390 | n/a | 89 | n/a |
1–3 September 2017 | H.H.B. & Associates [95] | Telephone | 301 | n/a | 83 | n/a |
July 2017 | NACTA [94] | Face-to-face | 410 | n/a | 85 | n/a |
June 2017 | NACTA [94] | Face-to-face | 380 | n/a | 83 | n/a |
Voter demographic data for 2020 were collected by Solution by Simulation Ltd (SBS) for the Trinidad Express Newspapers completed by 473 likely voters in Trinidad and Tobago by phone and H.H.B. & Associates for the Trinidad and Tobago Guardian completed by 600 registered voters face-to-face suggested the following demographic breakdown:
2020 Trinidad & Tobago general election voter demographics (SBS) [83] [97] [98] | |||
---|---|---|---|
Social group | %PNM | %UNC | % Lead |
Total vote | 43 | 38 | 5 |
Voter expectation (Better chance of winning) | 47 | 35 | 12 |
Gender | |||
Women | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Age | |||
18–39 | 50 | 42 | 8 |
40–64 | 41 | 35 | 6 |
65+ | 45 | 42 | 3 |
First time voter | |||
Yes | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Employment | |||
Employed | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Retirees | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Unemployed | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Race/ethnic group | |||
African descent | 77 | 13 | 64 |
East Indian descent | 10 | 77 | 67 |
Mixed descent | 48 | 23 | 25 |
Traditional election vote | |||
PNM | 85 | 9 | 76 |
UNC | 11 | 82 | 71 |
Floating / 3rd Party | 30 | 26 | 4 |
Country direction | |||
Believes country is in right direction | 77 | 11 | 66 |
Believes country is on wrong track | 9 | 72 | 63 |
Likeliness of voting | |||
Very Likely | 46 | 39 | 7 |
Somewhat Likely | 22 | 31 | 9 |
Issue regarded as most important | |||
Coronavirus | 65 | 18 | 47 |
Corruption | 31 | 48 | 17 |
Crime | 36 | 50 | 14 |
Economy | 26 | 53 | 27 |
Performance-minded and issue-based voters | |||
Performance-minded | 37 | 50 | 13 |
Issue-based | 64 | 27 | 37 |
Quality of representation over other concerns | n/a | n/a | n/a |
Public perception | |||
Ability to build and maintain infrastructure | n/a | n/a | 8 |
Ability to reduce crime | n/a | n/a | n/a |
COVID-19 | |||
More capable of handling the pandemic | n/a | n/a | n/a |
2020 Trinidad & Tobago general election voter demographics in Trinidad (H.H.B. & Associates) [99] | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Social group | %PNM | %UNC | %COP | %Others | % Lead |
Total vote | 35.10 | 29.10 | 0.40 | 1.60 | 6.00 |
Race/ethnic group | |||||
Afro-Trinidadian | 61.20 | 5.70 | 0.00 | 2.40 | 55.50 |
Indo-Trinidadian | 7.30 | 54.70 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 47.40 |
Other / Mixed | 44.10 | 18.90 | 1.80 | 2.70 | 25.20 |
Top Three Issues | |||||
Utilities (Water, light, etc.) | 30 | 34 | 4 | ||
Unemployment/Jobs | 35 | 36 | 1 | ||
Youth training and development | 40 | n/a | n/a | ||
Race/ethnic group | %Keith Rowley | %Kamla Persad-Bissessar | %Other Person | % Lead | |
Best Prime Minister | |||||
Afro-Trinidadian | 67.9 | 7.7 | 11.0 | 60.2 | |
Indo-Trinidadian | 10.8 | 61.2 | 12.5 | 50.4 | |
Other / Mixed | 45.0 | 26.1 | 9.0 | 18.9 |
The organization of the election was subject to the state Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). There were no election observers. Prime Minister Rowley revealed after the election that he had invited observers from CARICOM and the Commonwealth of Nations, but they were unable to pay for the 14-day quarantine required of foreign visitors. [100]
The polling stations closed at 18:00 on election day. [101]
At 22:30 on Election Day, Prime Minister Keith Rowley declared his party the winner of the election with 22 seats. [102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] UNC leader Persad-Bissessar declared wins in 19 seats, taking the Moruga/Tableland seat from the PNM and the St. Augustine seat from the COP. [108] She disagreed with Rowley's victory declaration and objected to the long delays at polling stations. [109]
In total, six seats won by the PNM were disputed: the UNC requested recounts for five constituencies in Trinidad (San Fernando West, St Joseph, Tunapuna, Toco-Sangre Grande and La Horquetta/Talparo), [110] while the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) requested a recount in Tobago East. [111] The EBC took one week to conduct the recounts, observing only minor changes from the preliminary vote counts: the largest change was an increase of 103 votes for the UNC in San Fernando West. The counts for the other districts differed by ten votes or fewer. [10] Rowley and the new PNM cabinet were then sworn in by President Paula-Mae Weekes on the following day, August 19. The ceremony was held at President's House. [12]
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
People's National Movement | 322,180 | 49.05 | 22 | –1 | |
United National Congress | 309,654 | 47.14 | 19 | +2 | |
Progressive Democratic Patriots | 10,368 | 1.58 | 0 | New | |
Progressive Empowerment Party | 5,930 | 0.90 | 0 | New | |
Independent Liberal Party | 3,817 | 0.58 | 0 | 0 | |
Movement for Social Justice | 1,223 | 0.19 | 0 | New | |
Movement for National Development | 1,039 | 0.16 | 0 | New | |
COP–DPTT–TTDF | 524 | 0.08 | 0 | –1 | |
New National Vision | 496 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | |
Trinidad Humanity Campaign | 368 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | |
National Organisation of We the People | 310 | 0.05 | 0 | New | |
Progressive Party | 212 | 0.03 | 0 | New | |
National Coalition for Transformation | 187 | 0.03 | 0 | 0 | |
One Tobago Voice | 80 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
Unrepresented Peoples Party | 74 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
Unity of the People | 40 | 0.01 | 0 | New | |
The National Party | 23 | 0.00 | 0 | New | |
Independents | 367 | 0.06 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 656,892 | 100.00 | 41 | 0 | |
Valid votes | 656,892 | 99.73 | |||
Invalid/blank votes | 1,785 | 0.27 | |||
Total votes | 658,677 | 100.00 | |||
Registered voters/turnout | 1,134,135 | 58.08 | |||
Source: EBCTT, IPU |
This section needs to be updated.(November 2022) |
Candidate nominations for the election were finalized on Nomination Day (July 17, 2020). The full candidate list is presented below, [18] along with the incumbent candidates before the election. [112] Non-minister MPs who are not standing for re-election are marked (†) [113] Government ministers are in bold, and party leaders are in italics.
Electoral District | Electorate | Turnout | % | Candidates | Votes | % | Incumbent | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arima | 26,382 | 13,488 | 51.13% | PNM | Pennelope Beckles-Robinson | 9,293 | 69.05 | PNM | Anthony Garcia |
UNC | Flora Singh | 3,858 | 28.7 | ||||||
PEP | Sharon Hernandez | 122 | 0.9 | ||||||
NCT | Nalini Dial | 95 | 0.7 | ||||||
Arouca/Maloney | 26,673 | 15,522 | 58.19% | PNM | Camille Robinson-Regis | 12,697 | 82.10 | PNM | Camille Robinson-Regis |
UNC | Cherry-Ann David | 2,768 | 17.9 | ||||||
Barataria/San Juan | 25,690 | 15,771 | 61.39% | UNC | Saddam Hosein | 8,300 | 52.7 | UNC | † Fuad Khan |
PNM | Jason 'JW' Williams | 7,240 | 45.99 | ||||||
PEP | Albertha Purdeen | 204 | 1.3 | ||||||
Caroni Central | 30,107 | 18,677 | 62.04% | UNC | Arnold Ram | 11,511 | 61.7 | UNC | Bhoendradatt Tewarie |
PNM | Reyad Ali | 6,890 | 36.95 | ||||||
PEP | Lorena Lucien | 245 | 1.3 | ||||||
Caroni East | 29,031 | 17,415 | 59,99% | UNC | Rishi Seecharran | 12,819 | 73.7 | UNC | † Tim Gopeesingh |
PNM | Sharon Archie | 4,271 | 24.57 | ||||||
PEP | Dave Babwah | 296 | 1.7 | ||||||
Chaguanas East | 26,923 | 17,123 | 63.60% | UNC | Vandana Mohit | 8,968 | 52.5 | UNC | Fazal Karim |
PNM | Clarence Rambharat | 7,882 | 46.2 | ||||||
PEP | Robert Matthew Gibbs | 143 | 0.8 | ||||||
IND | Shiraz Khan | 79 | 0.5 | ||||||
Chaguanas West | 28,625 | 17,896 | 62,52% | UNC | Dinesh Rambally | 15,502 | 88.5 | UNC | † Ganga Singh |
PNM | Rackeal Bissoon | 1,878 | 10.52 | ||||||
PEP | Rahman Ali | 138 | 0.8 | ||||||
Couva North | 29864 | 18,238 | 61.07% | UNC | Ravi Ratiram | 12,633 | 69.4 | UNC | Ramona Ramdial |
PNM | Sharda Satram | 5,222 | 28.67 | ||||||
PEP | Rohanie Debideen | 259 | 1.4 | ||||||
COP (Better United) | Joel Ramdhanie | 99 | 0.5 | ||||||
Couva South | 30348 | 18,281 | 60.24% | UNC | Rudranath Indarsingh | 12,597 | 69.0 | UNC | Rudranath Indarsingh |
PNM | Rajendra Rampersad | 5,542 | 30.38 | ||||||
THC | Linnell Doolan | 106 | 0.6 | ||||||
Cumuto/Manzanilla | 30468 | 18,702 | 61.38% | UNC | Rai Ragbir | 10,901 | 58.4 | UNC | Christine Newallo-Hosein |
PNM | Ronney Lochan | 7,557 | 40.52 | ||||||
PEP | Anthony Henry | 158 | 0.8 | ||||||
THC | Christopher Mathura | 35 | 0.2 | ||||||
D'Abadie/O'Meara | 30788 | 17,844 | 57.96% | PNM | Lisa Morris-Julian | 11,864 | 66.70 | PNM | Ancil Antoine |
UNC | Maurice Hoyte | 5,783 | 32.5 | ||||||
THC | Peter Amann | 139 | 0.8 | ||||||
Diego Martin Central | 29609 | 14,346 | 48.45% | PNM | Symon De Nobrega | 10,627 | 74.39 | PNM | Darryl Smith |
UNC | John Ricardo Laquis | 2,693 | 11.1 | ||||||
PEP | Felicia Holder | 404 | 2.8 | ||||||
NNV | Ashton Francis | 69 | 0.5 | ||||||
MND | Garvin Nicholas | 374 | 2.6 | ||||||
MSJ | Renee St Rose | 120 | 0.8 | ||||||
Diego Martin North/East | 29273 | 13,858 | 47.34% | PNM | Colm Imbert | 10,218 | 73.92 | PNM | Colm Imbert |
UNC | Eli Zakour | 2,827 | 20.5 | ||||||
PEP | Phillip Edward Alexander | 426 | 3.1 | ||||||
MND | Myron Bruce | 209 | 1.5 | ||||||
COP /Better United | Lonsdale Williams | 133 | 1.0 | ||||||
Diego Martin West | 29886 | 13,948 | 46.67% | PNM | Keith Rowley | 10,791 | 77.58 | PNM | Keith Rowley |
UNC | Marsha Riley-Walker | 2,569 | 18.5 | ||||||
THC | Zafir David | 93 | 0.7 | ||||||
MND | Dexter Nicholls | 456 | 3.3 | ||||||
Fyzabad | 29886 | 18,045 | 65.74% | UNC | Lackram Bodoe | 10,850 | 60.3 | UNC | Lackram Bodoe |
PNM | Solange De Souza | 6,888 | 38.25 | ||||||
PEP | Alice Narine | 143 | 0.8 | ||||||
MSJ | Radhaka Gualbance | 127 | 0.7 | ||||||
La Brea | 26008 | 15,571 | 59.87% | PNM | Stephen McClatchie | 9,342 | 60.27 | PNM | Nicole Olivierre |
UNC | Victor Roberts | 5,735 | 37.0 | ||||||
PEP | Rondoll Glasgow | 129 | 0.8 | ||||||
NNV | Callum Marshall | 71 | 0.5 | ||||||
La Horquetta/Talparo | 27528 | 17,698 | 64.29% | PNM | Foster Cummings | 9,714 | 55.03 | PNM | † Maxie Cuffie |
UNC | Jearlean John | 7,793 | 44.15 | ||||||
PEP | Benet Thomas | 145 | 0.82 | ||||||
Laventille East/Morvant | 26644 | 12,568 | 47.17% | PNM | Adrian Leonce | 10,356 | 82.66 | PNM | Adrian Leonce |
UNC | Kareem Baird | 1,965 | 15.7 | ||||||
PEP | Christopher Roberts | 169 | 1.3 | ||||||
NNV | Umar Khan | 39 | 0.3 | ||||||
Laventille West | 25585 | 11,183 | 43.71% | PNM | Fitzgerald Hinds | 9,310 | 83.51 | PNM | Fitzgerald Hinds |
UNC | Rodney Stowe | 1,324 | 11.9 | ||||||
PEP | Natalia Moore | 126 | 1.1 | ||||||
NNV | Sandra Emmanuel | 31 | 0.3 | ||||||
COP (Better United) | Kurt Sinnette | 47 | 0.4 | ||||||
NOW | Kirk Waithe | 310 | 2.8 | ||||||
Lopinot/Bon Air West | 27864 | 17,171 | 61.62% | PNM | Marvin Gonzales | 9,608 | 56.07 | PNM | Cherrie Ann Crichlow-Cockburn |
UNC | Prakash Williams | 3,587 | 20.9 | ||||||
PEP | Dominique Lopez | 123 | 0.7 | ||||||
ILP | Jack Warner | 3,817 | 22.3 | ||||||
Mayaro | 28834 | 18,036 | 62.55% | UNC | Rushton Paray | 10,593 | 59.0 | UNC | Rushton Paray |
PNM | Bunny Mahabirsingh | 7,229 | 40.26 | ||||||
PEP | Sterling Lee Ha | 133 | 0.7 | ||||||
Moruga/Tableland | 29043 | 20,141 | 69.35% | UNC | Michelle Benjamin | 10,534 | 52.5 | PNM | Lovell Francis |
PNM | Winston 'Gypsy' Peters | 9,482 | 47.14 | ||||||
DPTT (Better United) | Steve Alvarez | 37 | 0.2 | ||||||
THC | Larry Sanchar | 12 | 0.1 | ||||||
IND | Thomas Sotillio | 12 | 0.1 | ||||||
Naparima | 27066 | 16,046 | 59,28% | UNC | Rodney Charles | 13,306 | 83.2 | UNC | Rodney Charles |
PNM | Randy Sinanan | 2,686 | 16.80 | ||||||
Oropouche East | 28271 | 17,205 | 60.86% | UNC | Roodal Moonilal | 13,737 | 80.1 | UNC | Roodal Moonilal |
PNM | Clifford Rambharose | 3,416 | 19.91 | ||||||
Oropouche West | 25289 | 15,534 | 61.43% | UNC | Davendranath Tancoo | 11,535 | 74.5 | UNC | Vidia Gayadeen-Goopeesingh |
PNM | Lea Ramoutar | 3,708 | 23.93 | ||||||
PEP | Sasha Ali | 250 | 1.6 | ||||||
Point Fortin | 26003 | 15,696 | 60.36% | PNM | Kennedy Richards Jr. | 9,276 | 59.23 | PNM | Edmund Dillon |
UNC | Taharqa Obika | 5,761 | 36.8 | ||||||
PEP | Kenesha Ramsoondar | 58 | 0.4 | ||||||
MSJ | Ernesto Kesar | 545 | 3.5 | ||||||
TTDF | Nicholas Anthony Williams | 20 | 0.1 | ||||||
Pointe-à-Pierre | 25096 | 16,615 | 66.21% | UNC | David Lee | 8,869 | 53.5 | UNC | David Lee |
PNM | Daniel Dookie | 7,357 | 44.38 | ||||||
PEP | Marvyn Howard | 144 | 0.9 | ||||||
MSJ | David Abdulah | 208 | 1.3 | ||||||
Port of Spain North/St. Ann's West | 25003 | 11,686 | 46.74% | PNM | Stuart Young | 9,475 | 81.41 | PNM | Stuart Young |
UNC | Darren Garner | 1,705 | 14.7 | ||||||
PEP | Limma Mc Leod | 385 | 3.3 | ||||||
UPP | Kenneth Munroe-Brown | 73 | 0.6 | ||||||
Port of Spain South | 24754 | 10,478 | 42.33% | PNM | Keith Scotland | 8,202 | 78.44 | PNM | Marlene McDonald |
UNC | Curtis Orr | 1,850 | 17.7 | ||||||
PEP | Gail Castanada | 257 | 2.5 | ||||||
NNV | Fuad Abu Bakr | 145 | 1.4 | ||||||
Princes Town | 27178 | 16,229 | 59.71% | UNC | Barry Padarath | 11,280 | 69.6 | UNC | Barry Padarath |
PNM | Sharon Baboolal | 4,708 | 29.07 | ||||||
PEP | Kim Young Low | 209 | 1.3 | ||||||
San Fernando East | 25008 | 14,589 | 58.34% | PNM | Brian Manning | 9,864 | 67.78 | PNM | Randall Mitchell |
UNC | Monifa Andrews | 4,689 | 32.2 | ||||||
San Fernando West | 25035 | 15,607 | 62.34% | PNM | Faris Al-Rawi | 8,459 | 54.31 | PNM | Faris Al-Rawi |
UNC | Sean Sobers | 6,754 | 43.36 | ||||||
PEP | Benison Jagessar | 128 | 0.82 | ||||||
Progressive | Nikoli Edwards | 212 | 1.36 | ||||||
TNP | Valmiki Ramsingh | 23 | 0.15 | ||||||
Siparia | 28663 | 17,398 | 60.70% | UNC | Kamla Persad-Bissessar | 13,487 | 77.8 | UNC | Kamla Persad-Bissessar |
PNM | Rebecca Dipnarine | 3,855 | 22.23 | ||||||
St. Ann's East | 29454 | 14,790 | 50.21% | PNM | Nyan Gadsby-Dolly | 10,979 | 74.46 | PNM | Nyan Gadsby-Dolly |
UNC | Kenya Charles | 3,438 | 23.3 | ||||||
PEP | Akil Camps | 327 | 2.2 | ||||||
St. Augustine | 29454 | 17,705 | 63.02% | UNC | Khadijah Ameen | 11,943 | 67.6 | COP | Prakash Ramadhar |
PNM | Renuka Sagramsingh-Sookal | 5,264 | 29.80 | ||||||
PEP | Satesh Ramsaran | 235 | 1.3 | ||||||
THC | Michlin Hosein-Phelps | 33 | 0.2 | ||||||
COP (Better United) | Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan | 188 | 1.0 | ||||||
St. Joseph | 28452 | 18,193 | 63.94% | PNM | Terrence Deyalsingh | 9,362 | 51.58 | PNM | Terrence Deyalsingh |
UNC | Ahloy Hunt | 8,539 | 47.04 | ||||||
IND (Better United) | Errol Fabien | 220 | 1.21 | ||||||
THC | Joel Williams | 30 | 0.17 | ||||||
Tabaquite | 28832 | 16,918 | 58,68% | UNC | Anita Haynes | 11,440 | 67.8 | UNC | † Surujrattan Rambachan |
PNM | Michael Seales | 5,209 | 30.9 | ||||||
PEP | Carl Henry | 221 | 1.3 | ||||||
Tobago East | 23102 | 13,113 | 56.76% | PNM | Ayanna Webster-Roy | 7,127 | 54.52 | PNM | Ayanna Webster-Roy |
PDP | Watson Duke | 5,866 | 44.9 | ||||||
OTV | Juliana Henry-King | 80 | 0.6 | ||||||
Tobago West | 27686 | 13,811 | 49.88% | PNM | Shamfa Cudjoe | 9,275 | 66.74 | PNM | Shamfa Cudjoe |
PDP | Tashia Grace Burris | 4,501 | 32.5 | ||||||
UTP | Nickocy Phillips | 40 | 0.3 | ||||||
IND | Ricardo Phillip | 43 | 0.3 | ||||||
Toco/Sangre Grande | 31096 | 18,226 | 58.61% | PNM | Roger Monroe | 10,694 | 58.88 | PNM | Glenda Jennings-Smith |
UNC | Nabila Greene | 7,303 | 40.21 | ||||||
PEP | Kevon Hernandez | 168 | 0.91 | ||||||
Tunapuna | 27433 | 17,316 | 63.12% | PNM | Esmond Forde | 9,460 | 54.75 | PNM | Esmond Forde |
UNC | David Nakhid | 7,533 | 43.60 | ||||||
PEP | Maurice Downes | 228 | 1.32 | ||||||
THC | Marcus Ramkissoon | 58 | 0.34 |
The politics of Trinidad and Tobago function within the framework of a unitary state regulated by a parliamentary democracy modelled on that of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, from which the country gained its independence in 1962. Under the 1976 republican Constitution, the monarch was replaced as head of state by a President chosen by an electoral college composed of the members of the bicameral Parliament, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Patrick Augustus Mervyn Manning was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who was the fourth prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago; his terms ran from 17 December 1991 to 9 November 1995 and from 24 December 2001 to 26 May 2010. He was also the political leader of the People's National Movement (PNM) from 1987 to 2010. A geologist by training, Manning served as Member of Parliament for the San Fernando East constituency from 1971 until 2015 when he was replaced by Randall Mitchell, but with the seat in 2020 being won by his son Brian Manning. Patrick Manning was the longest-serving member of the House of Representatives. He was the Leader of the Opposition from 1986 to 1990 and again from 1995 to 2001.
The United National Congress is one of two major political parties in Trinidad and Tobago and the current parliamentary opposition. The UNC is a centre-left party. It was founded in 1989 by Basdeo Panday, a Trinidadian lawyer, economist, trade unionist, and actor after a split in the ruling National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR). After spending six years in opposition, the UNC won control of the government in 1995, initially in coalition with the NAR and later on its own. In the 2000 general election, the UNC won an absolute majority in the Parliament. In 2001, a split in the party caused the UNC to lose its parliamentary majority and control of the government. From 2001 to 2010, the UNC was once again Parliamentary Opposition party. In May 2010, the UNC returned to government as the majority party in the People's Partnership. The UNC's Political Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, was sworn in as the first female Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. Kamla Persad-Bissessar was Prime Minister from 2010 until 2015.
The People's National Movement (PNM) is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party has dominated national and local politics for much of Trinidad and Tobago's history, contesting all elections since 1956 serving as the nation's governing party or on four occasions, the main opposition. It is one out of the country's two main political parties. There have been four PNM Prime Ministers and multiple ministries. The party espouses the principles of liberalism and generally sits at the centre to centre-left of the political spectrum.
Kamla Persad-Bissessar ; born Kamla Susheila Persad, 22 April 1952), often referred to by her initials KPB, is a Trinidadian lawyer, politician and educator who is the Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago, political leader of the United National Congress (UNC) political party, and was the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 26 May 2010 until 9 September 2015. She was the country's first female prime minister, attorney general, and Leader of the Opposition, the first woman to chair the Commonwealth of Nations and the first woman of Indian origin to be a prime minister of a country outside of India and the wider subcontinent.
Basdeo Panday was a Trinidadian and Tobagonian statesman, lawyer, politician, trade unionist, economist, and actor who served as the fifth Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago from 1995 to 2001. He was the first person of Indian descent along with being the first Hindu to hold the office of Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. He was first elected to Parliament in 1976 as the Member for Couva North, Panday served as Leader of the Opposition four times between 1976 and 2010 and was a founding member of the United Labour Front (ULF), the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), and the United National Congress (UNC). He served as leader of the ULF and UNC, and was President General of the All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers' Trade Union from 1973 to 1995.
The Congress of the People (COP) is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. Its current political leader is Kirt Sinnette. Its symbol is the "Circle of Circles".
The People's Partnership (PP) was a political coalition in Trinidad and Tobago among five political parties: the United National Congress (UNC), the Congress of the People (COP), the Tobago Organization of the People (TOP), Movement for Social Justice (MSJ) and National Joint Action Committee (NJAC). The political leader was Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The coalition was formed in advance of the 2010 general election attempting to form a multi-ethnic opposition bloc against the People's National Movement (PNM) government led by Patrick Manning. The coalition won the 2010 General Elections defeating the People's National Movement on May 24, 2010. On September 7, 2015, the coalition was defeated in the 2015 General Elections to the People's National Movement led by Keith Rowley. The coalition saw the departure of the Movement for Social Justice in 2012 and eventually disbanded on December 8, 2015.
Keith Christopher Rowley, is a Trinidadian politician serving as the seventh prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, first elected into office on 9 September 2015 and again following the 2020 general election. He has led the People's National Movement (PNM) since May 2010 and was Leader of the Opposition from 2010 to 2015. He has also served as the Member of the House of Representatives for Diego Martin West since 1991. He is a volcanologist by profession, holding a doctorate in geology, specializing in geochemistry.
Local elections in Trinidad and Tobago were held on 2 December 2019, contesting 139 electoral districts across Trinidad's 14 municipal corporation electoral areas.
House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 25 January 2021 where 12 members were elected in the eleventh election since the Assembly was established in 1980. This election marked the first time in history that both parties elected, the People's National Movement (PNM) and Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) won an equal number seats of 6-6, despite the PNM winning the popular vote, resulting in a deadlock and a constitutional crisis with both political parties and Prime Minister Keith Rowley seeking senior counsel advice on the way forward. This election was the first time after 20 years in power that the PNM lost its absolute majority. This election also marked the first time a female political leader was elected to the Assembly and the first time a woman led a major political party or a political party with representation in the Assembly, following the 2020 Tobago Council of the People's National Movement leadership election where Health Secretary, councillor and former Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador to Costa Rica and former Deputy Chief Secretary of Tobago Tracy Davidson-Celestine made history by being elected as the PNM's first female political leader at the regional or national level and one of the first bilingual political leaders in the country's history. If Davidson-Celestine and the PNM were to be elected with a majority to their sixth consecutive term in office, she would have made history, becoming the first female Chief Secretary of Tobago. The election was held alongside local by-elections in Trinidad in which the PNM and UNC retained two districts and the PNM losing one to the UNC.
The Progressive Party is a political party in Trinidad and Tobago. The party was founded on June 16, 2019 by former independent senator Nikoli Edwards to contest the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election. The Progressives currently do not hold any seats in the House of Representatives, Regional municipalities, Regional corporations or in the Tobago House of Assembly.
The Tobago Council of the People's National Movement, also known as the Tobago Council of the PNM, PNM Tobago or PNM Tobago Council, is the longest-serving and oldest active political party in Tobago. The party is the autonomous branch of the Trinidad and Tobago People's National Movement operating in Tobago. While its political leader acts in the local capacity, they also serve as a deputy leader on a national level. The party's executives organize for both local and national election campaigns. There have been three PNM Chief Secretaries and administrations.
The 2020United National Congress leadership election was held on Sunday, 6 December 2020, after Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the current leader of the UNC, faced losses commencing in January 2013 with the wipeout of her People's Partnership-led administration from the Tobago House of Assembly at the 2013 election, loss in the 2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election and loss in the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election. The candidates for political leader were incumbent Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Team Star against former member of parliament for St. Augustine and former Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment in the People's Partnership's government, Vasant Bharath, on Team Lotus. Former senator and Minister of Transport in the People's Partnership's government, Devant Maharaj, was an early candidate for political leader, but was never formally nominated as he dropped out on nomination day on the 15th of November 2020, citing irregularities in the voting process. He endorsed Vasant Bharath and Team Lotus. Kamla Persad-Bissessar won with of 87.15% of the votes, while Vasant Bharath got 12.85% of the votes.
The 2022 People's National Movement leadership election, the last one for the PNM before the subsequent general election, took place over three days: November 26 and 27 and December 4, 2022. The current party leader and Prime Minister Keith Rowley had indicated he would most likely not seek to lead the party into the next general election. Rowley made these comments in his victory speech on the night of the 2020 Trinidad and Tobago general election, where the PNM secured a second mandate under his leadership but with the slimmest majority for a government in two decades. However, he announced that he would seek another term as the party's leader in October 2022. In the 2020 general election campaign, he indicated that he would have stood down had the PNM lost. The election followed the 2022 Tobago Council of the People's National Movement leadership election. Keith Rowley won re-election by an overwhelming majority with a low voter turnout with 9,111 out of 105,894 eligible party members voting.
General elections will be held in Trinidad and Tobago by 2025 to elect 41 members to the 13th Trinidad and Tobago Republican Parliament. It will be the 100th anniversary of general elections in the country.
Snap House of Assembly elections were held in Tobago on 6 December 2021 to elect all 15 members of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA). The election was called following a deadlock created by the January 2021 elections which resulted in a tie between the People's National Movement (PNM) and the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP), with both parties winning six seats. As a result, the number of seats in the legislature was increased from 12 to 15 to avoid ties.
Richie G. Sookhai is a Trinidadian and Tobagonian senator, Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport, engineer and businessman.
The 2023 Trinidadian local elections were held on Monday, August 14, 2023, across all 141 electoral districts in Trinidad's 14 municipal corporation electoral areas. The elections follow a 3-2 ruling on May 18, 2023, from the United Kingdom's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago's highest court of appeal, which stated that the government's one-year extension of the mandate of councillors and alderman was unlawful. The matter was brought before the Law Lords of the Privy Council by Ravi Balgobin Maharaj, and his legal team led by Anand Ramlogan, SC. The legal action taken by Ravi Balgobin Maharaj was necessary after the PNM government decided to extend the election by one year, which the Privy Council ruled was inconsistent with the rule of Democracy. The judgement handed down to Ravi Balgobin Maharaj by the Law Lords was a landmark ruling in the Commonwealth and marks the first time that a Court upheld the rights of citizens to vote in a Local Government Election.
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