The Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Barbados has formally commenced the procedural machinery for a parliamentary by-election in the constituency of St. Philip North. This administrative action was set in motion through the official publication of three critical electoral documents.
The process was initiated with the issuance of a ‘Writ of Election,’ a legal instrument formally commanding the holding of an election to fill a vacant seat in the House of Assembly. This was promptly followed by the ‘Notice of Appointment of Returning Officer,’ which designates the independent official responsible for overseeing the electoral process within the constituency to ensure fairness and adherence to the law. Concurrently, the publication of ‘Form 2 – Notice of Election’ serves as the public declaration, marking the official start of the election period and outlining key timelines for prospective candidates and electors.
This procedural sequence indicates that the vacancy, which may have resulted from the resignation, incapacitation, or passing of the previous representative, has triggered a constitutional requirement for a by-election. The publication of these documents opens the nomination period, allowing political parties and independent candidates to formally submit their applications to contest the seat. The electoral timeline will now progress through stages of nomination, campaigning, and ultimately, polling day, where constituents will determine their new parliamentary representative.