Elections in Trinidad and Tobago gives information on election and election results in Trinidad and Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has two chambers. The House of Representatives has 36 members, elected for a 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 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, 8 Regional Corporations) and the Tobago House of Assembly which handles local government in Tobago.
Trinidad and Tobago has a two-party system, which means that there are two dominant political parties, with extreme difficulty for anybody to achieve electoral success under the banner of any other party.
Until 1925 Trinidad and Tobago was directly ruled from Britain as a Crown Colony, although elected Borough Councils existed in Port-of-Spain and San Fernando. The first elections to the Legislative Council took place in 1925. Seven of the thirteen members were elected, the others were nominated by the Governor. 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 sufferage.
Last elections
General Elections were last held on October 7, 2002. The People's National Movement won 20 seats and the United National Congress won 16 seats. PNM leader Patrick Manning was re-appointed Prime Minister.
2005 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
PNM won; Orville London was re-appointed Chief Secretary.
Past elections
2001 General Elections
Hung Parliament; Patrick Manning appointed Prime Minister
2001 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 4 | 38.4% |
| People's National Movement | 8 | 46.7% |
| United National Congress | 0 | 7.8% |
| People's Empowerment Party | 0 | 7.1% |
| Rejected | | -- |
PNM won; Orville London appointed Chief Secretary
2000 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 1 | 1.2% |
| People's National Movement | 16 | 46.2% |
| United National Congress | 19 | 51.5% |
| People's Empowerment Party | 0 | 0.3% |
| The Mercy Society | 0 | 0.0% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.2% |
| Rejected | | 0.4% |
UNC won; Basdeo Panday re-appointed Prime Minister
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 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 11 | 59.7% |
| People's National Movement | 1 | 33.4% |
| Independents | 0 | 6.2% |
| Rejected | | 0.7% |
NAR won; Hochoy Charles appointed Chief Secretary
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% |
1995 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 2 | 4.8% |
| People's National Movement | 17 | 48.8% |
| United National Congress | 17 | 45.8% |
| Natural Law Party | 0 | 0.3% |
| Movement for Unity and Progress | 0 | 0.4% |
| National Transformation Movement | 0 | 0.0% |
| The People's Voice | 0 | 0.0% |
| Rejected | | 0.9% |
Coalition government between UNC and NAR; Basdeo Panday appointed Prime Minister
1992 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 11 | 58.2% |
| People's National Movement | 1 | 36.7% |
| Independents | 0 | 4.2% |
| Rejected | | 0.8% |
NAR won;
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% |
1991 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 2 | 24.4% |
| People's National Movement | 21 | 44.8% |
| United National Congress | 13 | 28.9% |
| National Joint Action Committee | 0 | 1.1% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.3% |
| Rejected | | 0.5% |
PNM won; Patrick Manning appointed Prime Minister
1988 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 11 | 63.5% |
| People's National Movement | 1 | 35.8% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.4% |
| Rejected | | 0.4% |
NAR won;
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% |
1986 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| National Alliance for Reconstruction | 33 | 65.8% |
| People's National Movement | 3 | 31.8% |
| National Joint Action Committee | 0 | 1.5% |
| People's Popular Movement | 0 | 0.1% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.0% |
| Rejected | | 0.7% |
NAR won; A.N.R. Robinson appointed Prime Minister
1984 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| Democratic Action Congress | 11 | 56.6% |
| People's National Movement | 1 | 41.4% |
| National Joint Action Committee | 0 | 1.2% |
| Rejected | | 0.6% |
DAC won; A.N.R Robinson re-appointed Chairman
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% |
1981 General Election
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| Democratic Action Committee | 2 | 3.7% |
| Organisation for National Reconstruction | 0 | 22.1% |
| People's National Movement | 26 | 52.6% |
| United Labour Front | 8 | 15.1% |
| National Joint Action Committee | 0 | 3.3% |
| Tapia House Movement | 0 | 2.3% |
| National Freedom Party | 0 | 0.2% |
| Fargo House Movement | 0 | 0.0% |
| People's Republican Party | 0 | 0.0% |
| Trinidad Labour Party | 0 | 0.0% |
| West Indian Political Congress Movement | 0 | 0.0% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.0% |
| Rejected | | 0.6% |
PNM won; George Chambers re-appointed Prime Minister
1980 Tobago House of Assembly Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| Democratic Action Committee | 8 | 52.8% |
| People's National Movement | 4 | 44.4% |
| Fargo House Movement | 0 | 0.0% |
| Rejected | | 0.6% |
DAC won; A.N.R Robinson appointed Chairman
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% |
1976 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| Democratic Action Committee | 2 | 6.6% |
| People's National Movement | 24 | 53.6% |
| United Labour Front | 10 | 26.9% |
| Tapia House Movement | 0 | 3.8% |
| Democratic Liberation Party | 0 | 3.0% |
| Social Democratic Labour Party | 0 | 1.9% |
| West Indian National Party | 0 | 0.4% |
| Liberation Action Party | 0 | 0.3% |
| United Freedom Party | 0 | 0.3% |
| National Trinidad and Tobago Party | 0 | 0.0% |
| Young People's National Party | 0 | 0.0% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.5% |
| Rejected | | 1.2% |
PNM won; Eric Williams re-appointed Prime Minister
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
1971 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| People's National Movement | 36 | 84.1% |
| Democratic Liberation Party | 0 | 12.6% |
| African National Congress | 0 | 2.4% |
| Independents | 0 | 0.8% |
| Rejected | | 0.1% |
Election boycott; PNM won; Eric Williams re-appointed Prime Minister
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% |
1966 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| People's National Movement | 68 | 49.4% |
| Democratic Labour Party | 28 | 40.0% |
| Liberal Party | 0 | 8.9% |
| Workers and Farmers Party | 0 | 3.5% |
| People's Democratic Party | 0 | 0.3% |
| Butler Party | 0 | 0.2% |
| Seukeran Independent Party | 0 | 0.2% |
| Independents | 4 | 0.5% |
| Rejected | | 0.1% |
PNM won; Eric Williams re-appointed Prime Minister
1961 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| People's National Movement | 20 | 57.0% |
| Democratic Labour Party | 10 | 41.7% |
| Butler Party | 0 | 0.4% |
| African National Congress | 0 | 0.5% |
| Independents | 4 | 0.5% |
| Rejected | | 0.0% |
PNM won; Eric Williams re-appointed Prime Minister
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% |
1958 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% |
1956 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| People's National Movement | 13 | 38.7% |
| Butler Party | 2 | 11.4% |
| People's Democratic Party | 5 | 20.3% |
| Trinidad Labour Party-National Democratic Party | 2 | 5.0% |
| Party of Political Progress Groups | 0 | 5.2% |
| Caribbean National Labour Party | 0 | 1.4% |
| West Indian Independence Party | 0 | 0.2% |
| Caribbean People's Democratic Party | 0 | 0.2% |
| Independents | 2 | 14.9% |
| Rejected | | 2.6% |
PNM won; Eric Williams appointed Chief Minister
1950 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| Butler Home Rule Party | 7 | 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).
1946 General Elections
| Party | Seats Won | Votes |
|---|
| United Front | 3 | 21.7% |
| British Empire Citizens' and Workers' Home Rule Party | 3 | 23.7% |
| Trades Union Council and Caribbean Socialist Party | 2 | 16.1% |
| Trinidad Labour Party | 1 | 11.7% |
| Progressive Democratic Party | 0 | 0.4% |
| Independents | 1 | 30.2% |
| Rejected | | 6.1% |
(Timothy Roodal contested and won the St. Patrick seat on both a BECWHRP and TLP ticket; Roodal's votes are only counted for the BECWHRP).
See also
References
- Meighoo, Kirk. 2003. Politics in a Half Made Society: Trinidad and Tobago, 1925-2002 ISBN 1558763066
External links
