Q: What is the law regarding the date of general elections in Trinidad and Tobago?
Section 68(3) allows the President to extend the term by 12-month periods for up to 5 years in times of war.
In the meantime, the General Elections for 1955 were constitutionally due by September, 1955. However, the Constitution Reform Committee, had by Majority Report, recommended postponement. This postponement, with an election date to be set, had to be set officially by the Colonial Office, in London, which subsequently directed the Governor that the term of the Legislative Council be extended to for an eight-month period, operating up to the 26th May, 1956. This meant that with the minimum four-month period for holding elections after the dissolution of the Legislative Council, would mean that elections would be held on the 26th of September, 1956. However, because that date would occur on a mid-week day, Wednesday, and since Monday is always more convenient for elections, the date for Election Day shifted to the start of the working week of Monday the 24th of September, 1956.
68. (1) The President,
acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may at any time
prorogue or dissolve Parliament.
(2) Subject to subsection
(3), Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from
the date of its first sitting after any dissolution, and shall then stand
dissolved.
Section 68(3) allows the President to extend the term by 12-month periods for up to 5 years in times of war.
This Parliament’s first sitting was on Friday June 18, 2010 at
1:30pm. Therefore, the 5 years will end on Wednesday June 17. However, the
general elections can be called at any time within three months of
the dissolution of Parliament:
69. (1) A general election
of members of the House of Representatives shall be held at such time within
three months after every dissolution of Parliament as the President, acting in
accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, shall appoint.
History
of elections:
The
People of Trinidad and Tobago voted for the first time in what could be
designated a general election on Saturday 7th February, 1925.
.
Over the decades, Trinidad & Tobago was to go through several
constitutional (political) developments, until the P.N.M’s coming into office
in 1956. Between 1925 and 1956, there were several General Elections held:
1928, 1933, 1938, 1946 and 1950. There was supposed to have been General
Elections in 1943, but it was suspended until after the War, which resulted in
the General Elections of 1946.
During this period (1925 to 1950), adult franchise was granted for
the 1946 General Elections, with the age of majority then being 21 years of age
in order to vote. This was to be further reduced to 18 years of age with the
Republican Constitution of 1976.
In the meantime, the General Elections for 1955 were constitutionally due by September, 1955. However, the Constitution Reform Committee, had by Majority Report, recommended postponement. This postponement, with an election date to be set, had to be set officially by the Colonial Office, in London, which subsequently directed the Governor that the term of the Legislative Council be extended to for an eight-month period, operating up to the 26th May, 1956. This meant that with the minimum four-month period for holding elections after the dissolution of the Legislative Council, would mean that elections would be held on the 26th of September, 1956. However, because that date would occur on a mid-week day, Wednesday, and since Monday is always more convenient for elections, the date for Election Day shifted to the start of the working week of Monday the 24th of September, 1956.
Since
then, the following are the dates of general elections:
1961
- General
elections were held on 4
December. The result was a victory for the PNM,
which won 20 of the 30 seats.
1966 - General
elections were held on 7 November. The
result was a victory for the PNM, which won 24 of the 36
seats.
1971 - General
elections were held on 24 May. The
result was a victory for the PNM, which won all 36 seats.
1976 - General
elections were held on 13 September. The
result was a victory for the PNM, which won 24 of the 36
seats.
1981 - General
elections were held on 9 November. The
result was a victory for the PNM, which won 26 of the 36
seats
1986 - General
elections were held on 15 December. The
result was a victory for the NAR, which won 33 of the 36
seats.
1991 - General
elections were held on 16 December. The result was a victory for the PNM, which won 21 of the 36 seats
1995 - Early
general elections were held on 6 November after the ruling PNM had
seen its majority reduced to a single seat due to a defection and a lost
by-election. The results saw the PNM and the UNC both
won 17 seats. Although they had received fewer votes, the UNC was able to form
a coalition with the two-seat National Alliance for
Reconstruction, allowing UNC leader, Basdeo
Panday, to
become the country's first Indo-Trinidadian Prime Minister.
2000 - General
elections were held on 11
December. The result was a
victory for the UNC, which won 19 of the 36 seats.
2001 - Early general elections were held on
10 December, after the ruling UNC lost its majority in the House of Representatives
following four defections. However, the election results saw the UNC and the
PNM both win 18 seats. Although the UNC received the most votes, President A.
N. R. Robinson nominated PNM leader Patrick Manning as Prime Minister.
2002 - Early general elections were held in
Trinidad and Tobago on 7 October, after PNM leader, Patrick Manning, had failed
to secure a majority in the hung parliament produced by the 2001 elections.
This time the PNM was able to secure a majority, winning 20 of the 36 seats.
2007 - General
elections were held on 5 November. The PNM party under the leadership of Patrick
Manning won 26 of the 41 seats in Parliament. The UNC-A, under the
leadership of Basdeo Panday won the 15 remaining seats.
The COP did not win any seats
2010 - A general
election was held on May 24. The date of the general elections was
announced by Prime Minister Patrick
Manning on April 16, 2010, via a press release. The election was
called over two years earlier than required by law. Polls showing that the
UNC-led opposition coalition was likely to win the election were confirmed by
the subsequent results.
The
final outcome has the People's Partnership winning 29 seats, and the PNM winning
12 seats. As a consequence of the People's Partnership's win, Kamla
Persad-Bissessar of the People's Partnership coalition was elected Trinidad
and Tobago's first female Prime Minister.
2015 – General elections were held on 7 September. The result was a victory for the PNM, which won 23 of the 41 seats.
2020 - General elections are carded for Monday 10th August 2020.
2020 - General elections are carded for Monday 10th August 2020.
