Members of the People’s National Movement (PNM) in Tobago headed to polling stations across the island on Wednesday to select the next political leader of the party’s Tobago Council, in an internal election that drew renewed engagement from party supporters even amid minor logistical hiccups. Polling operations kicked off at 8 a.m. local time and wrapped up at 6 p.m., with no official vote counts released as of the publication of this report. Two high-profile candidates are vying for the top leadership post, and both have expressed optimism about their chances of winning, while pledging to unify the fractured party once the election concludes.
Former Member of Parliament for Tobago West, Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, cast her ballot at the Hampden/Lowlands Multi-Purpose Facility, where she spoke to reporters about her outlook on the race. Cudjoe-Lewis framed the internal election not as a contest between individual personalities, but as a critical step toward rebuilding the PNM Tobago Council after a period of division. She noted that a high voter turnout would be a win for the entire party regardless of which candidate claims victory, because it demonstrates broad continued investment in the organization’s future among PNM supporters across all ideological and factional groups.
Ahead of the leadership vote, Cudjoe-Lewis pointed out that the election process had driven an unexpected surge in new party membership: at least 500 people have signed up as new PNM members specifically to participate in this leadership contest, and the majority of these new registrants joined through her campaign outreach. It is this ground-level momentum, she said, that leaves her confident she will secure the leadership post, and equally confident the party can heal and reunite once results are finalized.
The other leading candidate for the role, former Tobago House of Assembly (THA) minority leader Kelvon Morris, cast his vote at Bishop’s High School, where he echoed Cudjoe-Lewis’s confidence in his own victory while acknowledging some growing pains in the day’s voting process. Morris explained that only two polling stations were open for the election, leading to long lines and extended wait times for voters. While he praised the election supervisory committee for making the best of the limited resources available to them, he confirmed he had reached out to election supervisors to request the addition of extra polling booths to speed up processing for the remaining voters.
Morris also noted minor administrative issues, including some errors on the voter roll that left long-time PNM voters who had participated in past internal elections unable to find their names on registration lists. Even with these disruptions, Morris emphasized he was encouraged by the level of voter enthusiasm. Following a 15-0 defeat for the PNM in recent Tobago House of Assembly elections, many had predicted low turnout and fading support for the party, but Morris said large numbers of loyal members still turned out to exercise their democratic right to select the party’s next executive leadership team.
Morris argued that his four years of consistent, committed public service in Tobago had earned him the trust of both PNM members and the broader Tobagonian public. He centered his campaign on uniting the divided party, noting that even rival political figures have acknowledged his track record of bringing together factionalized groups that have been separated for years. Like his opponent, Morris pledged that regardless of the election’s outcome, he would work to unify the PNM: he said all participating members, including his rival candidate, would be included in the party’s work moving forward to build a single, united PNM Tobago Council.