2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 7 September 2015.[1] The date of the general elections was announced by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on 13 June 2015. The result was a victory for the opposition People's National Movement, which received 52% of the vote and won 23 of the 41 seats in the House of Representatives.[2]

2015 Trinidad and Tobago general election

7 September 2015 (2015-09-07)

All 41 seats in the House of Representatives
Turnout66.84%
  First party Second party Third party
 
COP
Leader Keith Rowley Kamla Persad-Bissessar Prakash Ramadhar
Party PNM UNC COP
Alliance PP PP
Leader since 26 May 2010 24 January 2010 3 July 2011
Leader's seat Diego Martin West Siparia St. Augustine
Last election 12 seats, 39.5% 21 seats, 43.7% 6 seats, 14.12%
Seats won
23 / 41
17 / 41
1 / 41
Seat change 11 4 5
Popular vote 378,447 290,066 43,991
Percentage 51.68% 39.61% 6.01%
Swing 12.0 pp 4.1 pp 8.1 pp

Colours denote the winning party, shades denote voting strength as shown in the main table of results.

Prime Minister before election

Kamla Persad-Bissessar
(People's Partnership/United National Congress)

Subsequent Prime Minister

Keith Rowley
(People's National Movement)

Background

The 2010 general elections were won by the People's Partnership (PP) coalition, an alliance of the United National Congress (UNC), the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC), the Congress of the People (COP) and the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP). The PP took 29 of the 41 seats, with the People's National Movement (PNM) winning the other 12. Prior to the 2015 general elections, two by-elections were held in St Joseph and Chaguanas West, which saw the seats held by the PP won by the PNM and Independent Liberal Party (ILP) respectively.[3]

Electoral system

The 41 elected members of the House of Representatives were elected in single-member constituencies using first-past-the-post.[4] A total of 2,199 polling stations were used.[5]

Campaign

A total of 127 candidates contested the election for 17 different political parties, with another five running as independents. The PNM was the only party to contest all 41 seats, and only two other parties contested more than half the seats; the United National Congress ran in 28 and the ILP in 26.

The COP ran in eight seats, the Laventille Outreach for Vertical Enrichment, the NJAC, New National Vision and Trinidad Humanity Campaign all contested three seats, whilst Tobago Forwards, the TOP and the Platform of Truth ran in two. The other parties only nominated a single candidate, including the Democratic Development Party, the Independent Democratic Party, the National Coalition for Transportation, the New Voice, the Youth Empowerment Party and the Youth, National Organisations, Farmers Unification, Policy Reformation.[5]

The UNC, NJAC, COP and TOP again ran under the PP banner, and did not run candidates against each other.[6]

Opposition leader Keith Rowley described the election campaign as one of the most "gruelling" in the country's history, but highlighted that the campaign had been conducted in high spirits and without violence or unrest.[7]

Results

Preliminary results on election night indicated that the PNM had won a majority government with 22 of 41 seats, but with a majority of the popular vote flowing to the ruling People's Partnership coalition.[8] On the final count however the PNM clearly secured an absolute majority of votes cast and obtained an extra seat from the PP, winning 23 of the 41 seats. The four parties in the PP alliance received a combined 46.6% of the vote, winning the remaining eighteen seats.[2] Outgoing Prime Minister Persad-Bissessar denied allegations that her coalition had run an ineffective campaign.[8] Her incoming successor, PNM leader Keith Rowely, described the mandate his party had won as an "awesome responsibility" and pledged "to make every effort to rekindle the feeling of nationalism in Trinidad and Tobago".[7]

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's National Movement378,44751.6823+11
United National Congress (PP)290,06639.6117−4
Congress of the People  (PP)43,9916.011−5
National Joint Action Committee (PP)5,7900.7900
Independent Liberal Party 5,1230.700New
Tobago Forwards2,1620.300New
Tobago Organisation of the People (PP)1,7500.240−2
New National Vision8830.1200
Platform of Truth4690.060New
Laventille Outreach for Vertical Enrichment3440.050New
National Coalition for Transportation3310.050New
Democratic Development Party1530.020New
Trinidad Humanity Campaign1380.020New
Independent Democratic Party1080.010New
The New Voice1010.010New
Youth, National Organisations, Farmers Unification, Policy Reformation740.010New
Youth Empowerment Party340.000New
Independents2,3760.3200
Total732,340100.00410
Valid votes732,34099.67
Invalid/blank votes2,4520.33
Total votes734,792100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,099,27966.84
Source: Caribbean Elections

By constituency

Winning candidates are in bold.[9][10]

Constituency PP PNM ILP Others
Arima Rodger Samuel (COP) Anthony Garcia Donna Jennings
Arouca/Maloney Wendell Eversley (COP) Camille Robinson Regis
Barataria/San Juan Fuad Khan (UNC) Hafeez Ali Jonathan Thomas (YEP)
Caroni Central Bhoe Tewarie (UNC) Avinash Singh Michelle Johnson
Caroni East Tim Gopeesingh (UNC) Sara Budhu Abuzar Mohammed
Chaguanas East Fazal Karim (UNC) Parbatee Helen Maharaj Jack Warner
Chaguanas West Ganga Singh (UNC) Abbgail Nandalal Amarath Jagassar
Couva North Ramona Ramdial (UNC) Richard Ragoonannan Sunil Ramjitsingh
Couva South Rudy Indarsingh (UNC) Alif Mohammed Kelly Dingoor
Cumuto/Manzanilla Christene Newallo Hosein (UNC) Bharath Barry Lochan Dr Lena Brereton Krish Poonwasee (Independent)
D'Abadie/O’Meara Patricia Metivier (COP) Ancil Antoine Dominic Romain
Diego Martin Central Embau Moheni (NJAC) Darryl Smith Kathy Ann Lamont
Diego Martin North/East Garvin Nicholas (UNC) Colm Imbert Saaleha Abu Bakr (NNV)
Diego Martin West Avonelle Hector (COP) Keith Rowley Taja Carringhton Faud Abu Bakr (NNV)
Phillip Alexander (Independent)
Zafir David (THC)
Fyzabad Lakram Bodoe (UNC) Marsha Bailey Fabian Anthony Assie
La Brea Ramesh Ramnannan (UNC) Nicole Olivirrie Kefing Jason Chance
La Horquetta/Talparo Jairam Seemungal (UNC) Maxie Cuffie
Laventille East/Morvant Kathy Ann Francis (NJAC) Adrian Leonce Fitzdavid Samuel Niya Pierre (LOVE)
Laventille West Malcolm Kernahan (NJAC) Fitzgerald Hinds Trent Holdip
Lopinot/Bon Air West Lincoln Douglas (COP) Cherrie Ann Chritchlow Cockburn Nigel Reyes
Mayaro Rushton Paray (UNC) Clarence Rambharat Andrew Brooks
Moruga/Tableland Clifton De Coteau (UNC) Lovell Francis Andre Clifford
Naparima Rodney Charles (UNC) Dons Waithe Riza hosein
Oropouche East Roodal Moonilal (UNC) Terry Jadoonannan
Oropouche West Vidia Goopiesingh (UNC) Clifford Rambharose
Point Fortin Ravi Ratiram (UNC) Edmund Dillion
Pointe-à-Pierre David Lee (UNC) Neil Mohammed Patrina Mark Bascombe
Port of Spain North/St Ann's West Eli Zakour (UNC) Stuart Young
Port of Spain South Cleveland Garcia (COP) Marlene McDonald
Princes Town Barry Padarath (UNC) Nikoleiskai Ali
San Fernando East Ashaki Scott (COP) Randall Mitchell Ricardo Lee Sing
San Fernando West Raziah Ahmed (UNC) Faris Al-Rawi Joseph Mendes
Siparia Kamla Persad-Bissessar (UNC) Vidya Deokiesingh
St Ann's East Don Sylverter (UNC) Nyan Gadsby Dolly Geewan Ramdeen
St Augustine Prakash Ramadhar (COP) Alisha Romano
St Joseph Vasant Bharath (UNC) Terrence Deyalsingh Errol Fabien (Independent)
Tabaquite Suruj Rambachan (UNC) Kevin Chan
Tobago East Joseph Fredrick (TOP) Ayanna Webster Roy Juliana Henry-King (TPT)
Peter Caruth (TF)
Tobago West Natasha Ann Second (TOP) Shamfa Cudjoe Paul Peters Hochoy Charles (TPT)
Christlyn Moore (TF)
Toco/Sangre Grande Brent Sancho (UNC) Glenda Jennings Smith Dayne Francois
Tunapuna Wayne Munroe (UNC) Esmonde Forde Marcus Ramkissoon (THC)

References

  1. 7 September: Election Day in Trinidad and Tobago Caricom Today, 12 June 2015
  2. Results of the Parliamentary Election Held on Monday 7 September 2015 EBCTT
  3. "PNM wins 2015 General Election". Trinidad Express. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  4. Electoral system IPU
  5. Candidates Nominated Electorate Polling Station 2015 EBCTT
  6. "COP loses three seats". Trinidad Express. 15 August 2015. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  7. PNM Victory Speech by Keith Rowly, retrieved 4 December 2015
  8. UNC Concession Speech by Kamla Persad-Bissessar, retrieved 4 December 2015
  9. List of Election Agents EBCTT
  10. T&T starts new era under PNM Archived 9 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine Trinidad and Tobago Guardian, 8 September 2015
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