Vincentians vote today in General Elections

The people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines vote in General Elections today, Thursday 5 November 2020.

[caption id="attachment_26248" align="alignleft" width="198"] Dr Ralph Gonsalves[/caption]

Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is seeking a fifth consecutive term of office for his Unity Labour Party (ULP).  The main opposition New Democratic Party (NDP) is contesting the elections under a new political leader, Lawyer Dr. Godwin Friday.  The small SVG Green Party, led by Economist Mr Ivan O’Neal, is fielding two candidates and there is one independent candidate.  There are 15 seats at stake.

[caption id="attachment_26249" align="alignright" width="190"] Dr Godwin Friday[/caption]

The ULP won the last elections in December 2015 by eight seats to seven, the same margin as the previous poll in 2010.

Polling Stations open at 7:00 a.m. and close for regular voting at 5:00 p.m. The electoral office has granted an additional half-hour, from 5:00 – 5:30 p.m. to accommodate the people in quarantine who have been issued a Medical Officers certificate.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has mounted a six-person Election Observation Mission to monitor the Elections.

The Mission is headed by Mr Anthonyson King, a member of the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission. The other members of the Mission include experts in Electoral Management and Administration and persons with election observation experience from CARICOM Member States.  The core group, including the Chief of Mission, began arriving in St. Vincent and the Grenadines on 31 October 2020.

For CARICOM, election observation serves as a platform to support existing democratic traditions within the Caribbean Community as part of its wider policy of supporting democracy.