MOST RECENT ELECTION:

Thursday 12 March 2009

Description of Electoral System

(Courtesy of IFES election guide)

The monarchy is hereditary. In the Senate 17 members are elected by the governor-general. In the House of Representatives 17 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 5-year terms.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of International IDEA)

*Click on links for definitions

WANT MORE ELECTION-RELATED STATS FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA? Go to "election databases" on the left-hand menu of this page OR comparative data on the right-hand menu and choose your area of interest.

Most Recent Election

(Courtesy of wikipedia)

General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on March 23, 2004. The elections resulted in the defeat of the Antigua Labour Party, which had been in power since independence in 1981, by the United Progressive Party.

Voting for the legislative seat that represents Barbuda ended in a draw between the Barbuda People's Movement (an ally of United Progressive Party) and the Barbuda People's Movement for Change (an ally of the Antigua Labour Party), which both got exactly 400 votes. A by-election was held on April 20 in which Trevor Walker of BPM was elected with 408 votes against 394 for the BPMC candidate Arthur Nibbs. A third party had also been in the fray in the first round, Barbudans for a Better Barbuda.

The election saw the defeat of the longest-serving elected government in the Caribbean. The Prime Minister, Lester Bird, had been in office since 1994, when he succeeded his father, Vere Bird. He was among eight Labour MPs to lose their seats. An observer team from the Caribbean Community praised the peaceful vote and said the results "clearly reflect the will of the people." Among recommendations, it urged the Electoral Commission to strengthen its independence.