Elections in Saint Lucia

A general election fills all 17 elected seats in Saint Lucia's House of Assembly, the chamber whose elected members represent constituencies. The country uses a parliamentary Westminster system with one elected member per constituency. The candidate with the largest vote total wins that constituency, even without more than half of all votes. The Parliament can last for up to five years, but the Governor-General may dissolve it earlier on the relevant constitutional advice. The Senate has 11 appointed members and is not elected by voters. After a general election, the Governor-General appoints the Prime Minister, normally taking account of which party or group can command a majority in the House. Nine of the 17 House seats provide a majority. A by-election fills an individual House vacancy, such as one caused by a resignation or death. A person may register voluntarily if they are at least 18 and qualify under the Elections Act Cap.1.02. The main qualifications are Saint Lucian citizenship, or Commonwealth citizenship with at least seven years of continuous residence in Saint Lucia, and at least two months of continuous residence in the electoral district by the qualifying date. Registration is personal and linked to one district. The Electoral Department and registration centres handle registration, while the Electoral Commission provides constitutional oversight and directs the electoral process. Registration normally requires a birth certificate and national identification card. A non-national applicant also needs a Certificate of Citizenship. The qualifying dates are 15 February and 15 July. Supplementary lists may be revised for up to six months. Annual revision is completed by 31 January, with publication by 31 March. After election writs are issued, special registration lasts 15 days, and the final electors list should be available at least four weeks before polling. Voters can check their registration and polling station through the official lookup service and published polling-station lists. The current registration guide and Elections Act use the seven-year and two-month requirements; some older online guidance states different periods, so the latest Gazette and Electoral Department information should control. Polling normally takes place from 06:30 to 18:00 at the assigned station. The ballot is secret and the voter marks one candidate with a clear X, folds the paper and places it in the sealed ballot box. Accepted identification can include an Electoral ID, registration record duplicate, photo application form, passport, photo driver's licence or National Provident membership card. The presiding officer may accept another adequate form of identification. Electoral ink helps prevent a second vote. Police electors use a separate register and vote under a separate procedure. Assistance is available under oath for a voter with physical incapacity or blindness. The station count takes place with candidates, agents and witnesses present. Officials reject ballots that are unofficial, blank, marked for more than one candidate or marked in a way that identifies the voter. Ballots, statements of poll, envelopes and seals then go to the Returning Officer. The final count usually takes place at about 08:30 the following morning, after which the candidate with the largest total is declared elected. Election-night figures are preliminary. The Electoral Department publishes and coordinates election information under the Chief Elections Officer, while Returning Officers manage nominations, polling stations, counting and declarations. Candidates must be Saint Lucian citizens aged at least 21 and meet the applicable birth and residence conditions. They must provide written consent and a statutory declaration, obtain nominations from at least six registered electors and pay an EC$250 deposit. The deposit is refunded if the candidate is elected or receives at least one-eighth of the votes. Candidate eligibility also excludes several situations, including certain foreign allegiances, specified public or election offices, undischarged bankruptcy, some criminal sentences, unsound mind and relevant election offences. Registration carries no stated fee and is not compulsory, so there is no sanction merely for failing to register. Replacing an identification card costs EC$100 plus a EC$5 stamp, although exemptions can apply for public-assistance recipients, qualifying disability, people aged at least 70 and certain cases involving people aged 60 to under 70, fire, natural disaster or theft. A citizen ID usually takes about seven working days, a non-national ID about 14 working days and a replacement about three working days. Candidates and agents may observe the count and raise objections under the electoral process. An election petition generally must be filed in the High Court within 21 days after the return, with a separate 28-day period for petitions concerning corrupt payment. Bribery, treating, undue influence, personation and breaches of ballot secrecy are election offences. The Electoral Commission, Electoral Department, Chief Elections Officer, Returning Officers, Governor-General and High Court therefore have different responsibilities at different stages of an election.