The Electoral Commission has moved to address public concerns regarding potential voting delays, offering firm assurances that tomorrow’s general election will proceed with efficiency and minimal disruption. This response follows significant logistical challenges encountered during advance polling for essential service personnel on November 28, where police officers, firefighters, and correctional officers faced extensive queues and late voting.
In an official statement released today, the Commission detailed that the Electoral Department—which holds complete authority over election proceedings—has already enacted comprehensive measures to guarantee streamlined operations across all polling stations. The previous delays were attributed to an expansion of polling divisions from two to four without proportional increases in polling stations, creating a bottleneck effect.
Compounding the issue was a notable surge in the number of essential service voters since the 2021 election, alongside the retention of retired officers on voter rolls. This demographic growth resulted in a substantially larger electorate than anticipated, overwhelming the available infrastructure at all four advance polling locations.
The Electoral Department had initially recommended additional polling stations to accommodate the increased voter volume. However, resource constraints within the police force prevented the implementation of this expansion. In retrospect, the Commission acknowledged that each division required more stations—with Soufriere needing at least four, and Vieux Fort, the Police Training School, and Gros Islet requiring up to six.
Despite these advance polling complications, officials emphasized that the circumstances were unique to the essential service electorate. The Commission confirmed that any essential service workers unable to vote during the advance poll retain full eligibility to cast their ballots on Election Day.
The Commission concluded: “The Electoral Department will reevaluate this matter in collaboration with police authorities to prevent recurrence in future elections. For December 1, 2025, all necessary protocols have been established to ensure a swift and uninterrupted election process for all voters.”