More than 24,000 voter ID cards have been renewed since August 2024, according to Ian Hughes, the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) Supervisor of Elections. Speaking on Observer AM, Hughes said an estimated 18,000 renewals are still pending, though steady progress continues.

“I am looking at the trend…over the next couple of weeks at least, I anticipate another 8,000 electors to come out and to replace their expired voter ID cards,” said Hughes.

Noting that many people have already misplaced their cards, Hughes also urged all electors, once they receive their Voter ID cards, to maintain a close hold on them.

As the excitement of the election season intensifies, a surge in new voter ID registrations is to be expected. Both the Antigua Barbuda Labour Party (ABLP) and the United Progressive Party (UPP) have ramped up their campaign efforts.

Prime Minister Gaston Browne is expected to announce the date of elections later today.

In light of the elections fervor, Hughes has also reminded residents that the renewal process takes just around five minutes. However, delays can occur as lines begin to form.

“So if you get there and you meet 5, 6 persons ahead of you, you can safely say that’s at least a half an hour wait,” he explained. “And so if you really want to be part of the process, I encourage you to wait.”

Hughes also shared that he expects the process to be sped up in the upcoming weeks, as processing for voter ID cards from late March is complete, with cards reaching registration units by today. He shared that printing for last week’s cards is now underway and expected to finish by week’s end.

Representatives from both the ABLP and the UPP have continued to urge voters to get their Voter ID cards renewed, as they encourage full participation in the democratic process.