Elections in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda has a parliamentary, bicameral system. Sixteen House constituencies are on Antigua and one is on Barbuda. Voters select one constituency candidate by secret ballot, while the 17 Senate members are appointed rather than elected: ten on the Prime Minister’s recommendation, four on the Opposition Leader’s recommendation, one at the Governor-General’s discretion, one on the Barbuda Council’s recommendation and one Barbuda representative on the Prime Minister’s recommendation. Parliament can continue for up to five years from its first sitting, and a general election takes place within three months after dissolution. The Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, or ABEC, manages voter registration, election administration, polling staff and voter education. The Supervisor of Elections handles day-to-day execution, while the Governor-General issues writs, dissolves Parliament and appoints senators. Commonwealth citizens aged 18 or over who legally reside in Antigua and Barbuda and have lived in the relevant constituency for at least six months can register. Registration is continuous, and applicants may use documents such as a birth or baptism certificate, naturalization certificate, passport or photo driver’s licence. A voter registration card is required for voting; a replacement card cost EC$100 according to the 2023 Commonwealth Observer Group report, while no registration fee was identified in the reviewed sources. A candidate for the House needs citizenship, a minimum age of 21, at least 12 months of residence in Antigua and Barbuda and sufficient ability to read English. Nomination requires a proposer, a seconder, eight additional registered voters from the constituency, written consent and a EC$500 deposit. At the polling station, officials compare the voter’s card and photo identification, mark the register and apply indelible ink. In the 2026 general election, polling ran from 06:00 to 18:00, with voters already waiting at 18:00 allowed to vote; no advance poll was held. Blind, incapacitated and elderly voters can receive assistance, but accessibility for people with disabilities is not uniform across polling stations. After polling, officials seal the ballot boxes and transport them to the constituency counting centre. The Returning Officer opens and counts the ballots in the presence of party agents and observers, then declares the constituency winner. An election petition can be brought before the Election Court for corrupt or illegal practices. On 30 April 2026, 63,313 people were registered, 39,515 votes were cast and turnout was 62.4%; the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party won 15 seats, while the United Progressive Party and Barbuda People’s Movement won one seat each. The 16 March 2026 St. Philip’s North by-election was won by Randy Baltimore of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party. The Barbuda Council provides a separate local electoral arrangement for Barbuda. It has nine elected members, alongside the Member of Parliament and a senator as ex officio members; its members serve four-year terms, and elections take place every two years in March. National constituency elections remain the dominant way to gain parliamentary representation. Constituency boundaries have long been considered in need of reform, and the 2023 Commonwealth Observer Group described campaign-finance regulation as insufficient.