As campaign and logistical preparations ramp up ahead of the closely watched Roseau North constituency by-election, Dominica’s official Electoral Office has formally closed its investigation into a high-profile complaint over alleged duplicate entries on the constituency’s voter roll, concluding that no improper duplicate registrations exist on the list.
The complaint was formally submitted to the office by Daniel Lugay, the candidate running for the United Workers Party (UWP) in the upcoming by-election. Following the submission, the office launched a full review of the concerns outlined in the filing, led by Chief Elections Officer Anthea Joseph.
Speaking with reporters on August 20, Joseph detailed the findings of the review: the probe turned up no evidence of duplicate voter registrations among residents of the Roseau North constituency. While the voter roll does include a small number of names that appear more than once, Joseph explained these entries correspond to distinct individual voters, each with different residential addresses and separate dates of birth, eliminating the concern of improper double registration.
The clarification comes at a critical juncture for the by-election process. Nomination Day for the contest is scheduled for August 21, just one day after Joseph’s public announcement, and eligible voters in the constituency will cast their ballots on September 7, 2026.
Three candidates are currently in the running for the open Roseau North Member of Parliament seat. Alongside UWP’s Lugay, the field includes Ashma McDougal, the nominee for the Dominica Labour Party (DLP), and Sherman Boston, who is running as an independent candidate.
Election observers note that the Electoral Office’s public findings will help ease uncertainties among candidates, political parties and voters, creating a clearer framework for final preparations ahead of polling day.