As Saint Lucia gears up for its December 1 general election, the Electoral Department has reported a significant increase in the number of independent candidates vying for parliamentary seats. Chief Elections Officer Herman St. Helen highlighted this trend in an interview with St. Lucia Times, noting that Micoud North has emerged as the constituency with the highest interest, attracting approximately five independent candidates. Other constituencies, including Vieux Fort South, Castries North, and Anse La Raye/Canaries, have also seen notable activity, with at least two independent candidates each. However, the official list of candidates will only be confirmed on Nomination Day, November 21. St. Helen emphasized that the Electoral Department is nearly fully prepared for the upcoming polls. Key preparations include training returning officers to manage the election process across all 17 electoral districts. In a move to enhance accessibility, all polling stations will be situated on ground floors to accommodate voters with disabilities, and voting instructions will be displayed in both English and Creole. Additionally, the department is finalizing the electoral list and prioritizing voter identification card verification, urging citizens to verify their ID cards to ensure a smooth voting process.