2018 Antiguan general election

General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 21 March 2018 to elect members to House of Representatives of the 16th Antigua and Barbuda Parliament.[3] Each of the 17 constituencies elected one Member of Parliament (MP).

2018 Antiguan general election

21 March 2018
All 17 seats in House of Representatives 9 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	76.32% (13.8%)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Gaston Browne Harold Lovell Trevor Walker Party ABLP UPP BPM Leader since 25 November 2012[1] 2014 Leader's seat St. John's City West St John’s City East (defeated)[2] Barbuda Last election 14 seats, 56.6% 3 seats, 41.8% 0 seats, 1.13% Seats won 15 1 1 Seat change 1 2 1 Popular vote 23,063 14,440 558 Percentage 59.24% 37.19% 1.44% Swing 2.75% 4.57% 0.31%
Prime Minister before election Gaston Browne Labour Subsequent Prime Minister Gaston Browne Labour

The governing Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party led by Gaston Browne was returned to power, winning 15 of the 17 seats, increasing their majority by one seat.[4] The United Progressive Party, the official opposition, led by Harold Lovell, was reduced to a single seat and Lovell failed to be elected.[5]

Electoral system

The 17 elected members of the House of Representatives were elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting; 16 of the seats were allocated for the island of Antigua and one for the island of Barbuda.[6] Barbudan electors were required to travel to Antigua to vote as a result of the aftermath of hurricane Irma.[7]

Campaign

A total of 53 candidates contested the elections, representing seven parties. The Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party nominated a full slate of 17 candidates. The United Progressive Party nominated candidates only on the island of Antugua due to an electoral pact with the Barbuda People's Movement which stood only on the island of Barbuda. Together they fielded a candidate in every seat. The Democratic National Alliance (13) were the only other party to contest more than half the seats. The Antigua Barbuda True Labour Party and Go Green for Life both had two candidates, while the Barbuda People's Movement (affiliated to the United Progressive Party) and Missing Link VOP had a single candidate. A single independent candidate, Attorney-at-law Ralph Francis, contested the seat of Barbuda.[8][9]

Prime Minister Gaston Browne dissolved parliament fifteen months early. The main issues were the re-building and response to the 2017 Hurricane season, the Barbudan communal land ownership law, tourism resorts notably the Sandals Resorts, and a bribery scandal involving Browne.[10][11][5]

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party	23,063	59.24	15	+1
United Progressive Party	14,440	37.09	1	–2
Democratic National Alliance	754	1.94	0	New
Barbuda People's Movement	558	1.43	1	+1
Antigua & Barbuda True Labour Party	87	0.22	0	0
Go Green for Life	20	0.05	0	New
Missing Link VOP	6	0.02	0	0
Independents	4	0.01	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	288	–	–	–
Total	39,220	100	17	0
Registered voters/turnout	51,258	76.51	–	–
Source: ABEC

References

1. "New opposition leader supports term limitations". Antigua Observer.
2. "Antigua Election: UPP leader loses seat as party heads towards massive defeat". St Lucia News Online.
3. "2018 Election Date Set For March 21" Daily Observer, 24 February 2018
4. ABLP wins 2018 General Elections Antigua Observer, 22 March 2018
5. "Snap election in Antigua puts Barbuda's communal land ownership on the ballot". The Guardian.
6. Electoral system IPU
7. "Barbudans forced to travel to Antigua to vote as islanders fear for future of their land". The Telegraph.
8. Elections in Antigua Caribbean Elections
9. 2018 candidates Caribbean Elections
10. "Antigua's Browne goes to the polls with bribery cloud over his head". Jamaica Observer.
11. "Browne should not bring Sandals into election dogfight – Cranstone". Loop News Barbados.