The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) has officially begun the process of organising a by-election to fill the parliamentary vacancy created by the resignation of Sir Robin Yearwood.

Yearwood announced his decision to step down during a special sitting of Parliament held in his honour on Wednesday, marking the end of an unprecedented 50-year tenure as Member of Parliament for St. Philip’s North.

The constitutional process to fill the seat is now underway. A Writ of Election was issued today, Thursday 19, formally triggering the by-election, which has been scheduled for Monday, March 16.

The contest is expected to be a closely watched battle between two candidates.

Randy Baltimore, who secured the backing of Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) supporters in a primary held in July 2024, will contest the seat for the governing party. Baltimore enters the race with the goal of retaining the constituency for the ABLP, which has held St. Philip’s North for five decades under Yearwood’s leadership.

Challenging him will be Alex Browne, a United Progressive Party (UPP) Senator appointed in 2023. Browne will be seeking to break the long-standing hold on the constituency and deliver a victory for the opposition.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne, political leader of the ABLP, has already publicly thrown his support behind Baltimore. In a post on social media, the Prime Minister wrote: “We look forward to formally receiving Mr. Randy Baltimore – ABLP’s candidate in the upcoming St. Philip’s North by-election – as the newest member of Parliament shortly.”

Both parties are expected to ramp up their campaigns in the coming weeks, as they make their case to eligible voters in St. Philip’s North ahead of what promises to be a significant political contest.