Special forces personnel throughout Saint Lucia initiated the electoral process for the 2025 general election on Thursday through early voting procedures. While officials reported generally smooth operations, significant queues emerged at multiple polling locations due to higher-than-anticipated participation.
The early voting process commenced at 6:00 AM across four designated facilities: Gros Islet Fire Station, Police Training School in La Toc, Vieux Fort Divisional Headquarters, and Soufrière Fire Station. These stations were established specifically to accommodate election workers and law enforcement personnel, including police, fire services, and correctional officers who will be on duty during the December 1 general election.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Dr. Mashama Sealy, speaking from the Police Training School, confirmed that voting commenced precisely at the scheduled time of 6:30 AM. She noted that despite considerable lines forming at several locations, the voting process maintained steady progression, particularly at stations with fewer registered voters.
Chief Elections Officer Herman St Helen provided context regarding the congestion, explaining that the lengthy queues resulted directly from the limited number of polling stations allocated for special forces voting. He acknowledged in retrospect that additional polling stations within certain divisions would have alleviated congestion, admitting that election planners had underestimated potential voter turnout among security personnel.
At the Gros Islet Fire Station, Presiding Officer and Assistant Commissioner of Police Elvis Thomas confirmed the voting process was proceeding efficiently under observation from international monitors, including representatives from the Organisation of American States. Thomas emphasized his responsibility to ensure both smooth operations and the protection of voters’ rights to cast ballots without interference throughout the entire election period.
Veteran police officer Leon Ephiphane, who voted at the Gros Islet station, shared his perspective after completing the process. With a decade of service, Ephiphane described the experience as ultimately successful despite initial organizational delays involving election agents’ coordination.
Similar patterns emerged in the southern region, where election officials at Vieux Fort Divisional Headquarters indicated that Monday’s general election would feature significantly more polling stations, potentially reducing waiting times. An election clerk explained that the Vieux Fort South district contains four polling divisions with multiple stations each, which should distribute voter traffic more effectively during the main election.
One female police officer who voted at Vieux Fort reported waiting nearly three hours to cast her ballot, expressing surprise at the early morning turnout while still characterizing her overall experience positively.
In Soufrière, voting began at a slower pace during early morning hours but intensified toward midday. Although election officials declined formal commentary, visual observations indicated orderly proceedings throughout the day.