Electoral Observer Missions from the Organisation of American States, Commonwealth and CARICOM have all reported a very successful and peaceful electoral process, highlighting the professionalism of polling staff and the orderly conduct of voters across the country’s 17 constituencies.

Speaking at the Hodges Bay Resort, Dr Pelonomi Venson, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Botswana, delivered the group’s preliminary findings and said the overall conduct of the elections met the standards expected of a credible democratic process.

“Our overall conclusion is that the elections were conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner,” Venson said, speaking to Antigua.News.

The Commonwealth group, deployed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey was deployed across all 17 constituencies on election day.

Dr Venson said observers were present from the opening of polls through the counting of ballots and noted that polling officials performed their duties with professionalism and transparency.

The group specifically commended the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission for the deployment of information clerks outside polling stations, clear signage, and a comprehensive information pack distributed to observers.

The Commonwealth group raised concerns about the regulatory framework governing campaign finance, noting that stakeholders identified the area as requiring reform and greater oversight.

At the Siboney Hotel, CARICOM Election Observation Mission Chief of Mission Maxine McClean, a member of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Barbados, presented a broadly positive assessment of election day proceedings.

The CARICOM mission, comprising six electoral experts from Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, St Lucia, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago, visited 182 of 185 polling stations across 16 of the 17 constituencies and found that voting procedures were conducted according to ABEC’s guidelines throughout the day.

McClean also noted that while voter turnout was highest in the morning, and the expected lull by midday, the mission observed that most stations had few or no queues at the 6 pm close.

Watch CARICOM Election Observation Mission’s full preliminary statement here:

The OAS Electoral Observation Mission, led by former OAS Secretary for Access to Rights and Equity Maricarmen Plata, released its first report online on May 1.

The 17-member mission, drawn from 11 countries, covered all 17 constituencies and visited 178 polling stations across all 49 polling divisions.

The OAS Mission, in its preliminary report noted that voter turnout was 62.41 percent, a decline of 7.9 percentage points compared to the 2023 general elections, where participation stood at 70.34 percent.

The mission’s first report flagged several areas for reform, including the need for a comprehensive revision of the Representation of the People Act, stronger campaign finance regulation, improved voter registration procedures, and measures to increase the political participation of women.

The report noted that out of 37 candidates, only five were women, a decrease in the rate of female candidacies from 20.75 percent in 2023 to 13.51 percent this year.

Watch OAS Election Observation Mission’s full preliminary statement here:

All three missions extended congratulations to Prime Minister Browne and the elected members of the House of Representatives following the ABLP’s win of 15 of the 17 constituencies.

Comprehensive final reports from each mission on the country’s electoral process will be made public in the coming weeks.