Trinidad and Tobago
- System of government
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
The Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago is bicameral, consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives and it follows the Westminster model of Government
System of government-References:
- Total population
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
approxiamtely 1,500,000
Total population-References:
- Total area (in square kilo meters)
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
4828 square kilometres
Total area (in square kilo meters)-References:
- Number of registered voters
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
1,108,265
Number of registered voters-References:
- Number of registered political parties
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
One Hundred and Fifty Two (152) Registered Political Parties as of September, 2016
Number of registered political parties-References:
- Number of polling stations
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
2,199
Number of polling stations-References:
- Average number of voters per polling station
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13
500 electors
Average number of voters per polling station-References:
- Voting age
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10 18 years old
Voting age-References:
- Elected Offices
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
Parliamentary Elections are held at least every 5 years. The Legislative power lies with the House of Representatives with 41 elected members, and the Senate with 31 members appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition; nine of these members are independents.
Executive power lies with the Prime Minister and his Cabinet which is appointed from Members of Parliament.Tobago has its own elected House of Assembly responsible for the administration of the island, and for the implementation of policies that are referred by Parliament.
The President of Trinidad and Tobago is elected for a 5-year renewable term by an Electoral College consisting of members of the House of Representatives and the Senate.
Elected Offices-References:
https://www.ttconnect.gov.tt
- Election system
- Last Updated : 2016-10-06 Plurality (FPTP)
Election system-References:
- Terms of office
- Last Updated : 2016-10-26
The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve a 5-year term.
Prime Minister is appointed by the President to serve a 5-year term.
In the Senate, 16 members are appointed by the ruling party to serve 5-year terms, 6 members are appointed by the opposition to serve 5-year terms and 9 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms. In the House of Representatives 41 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.
Terms of office-References:
- Election
- Last Updated : 2016-09-21 Trinidad and Tobago general election, 2015
Election-References:
- Date
- Last Updated : 2016-09-21 7 September 2015
Date-References:
- Political parties in the elections
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
Eighteen (18)
Political parties in the elections-References:
- Number of elected candidates
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
Forty One (41)
Number of elected candidates-References:
- Voter turnout
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
66.86% [Parliamentary Elections held on September 7th 2015]
Voter turnout-References:
- Number of ballots cast
- Last Updated : 2016-09-10
734,985
Number of ballots cast-References:
- Legal framework for elections
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29 Part of Constitution - Separate legislation
Legal framework for elections-References:
- Legal provisions
- Last Updated : 2016-11-07 N/A
Legal provisions-References:
- Referenda
- Last Updated : 2016-11-07 N/A
Referenda-References:
- People’s Initiatives
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17 N/A
People’s Initiatives-References:
- Recall Votes
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
Recall Votes-References:
- Official name
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13
Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC)
Official name -References:
- Mission, Vision, Key Objectives, Functions
- Last Updated : 2016-09-21
Mission Statement
To register individuals, conduct elections and review constituency boundaries with integrity, courtesy and transparency in accordance with the law.
Vision Statement
To be a world class Electoral Management Body.
Four pieces of legislation provide the Elections and Boundaries Commission with its legal and constitutional authority to conduct elections. They are the Representation of the People Act Chap. 2:01 of the laws of Trinidad and Tobago, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (Local Government) Act, Chap. 25:50; the Municipal Corporations Act, 1990; the Elections and Boundaries Commission (Local Government and Tobago House of Assembly Act No. 40 of 1996.
The organisational structure of the E&BC is based principally on a Central Electoral Office located at headquarters in Port of Spain, Fourteen (14) Registration Area Offices and four (4) sub Offices. These offices are conveniently located throughout the country where persons can register to obtain their National Identification Cards and have their names included on the list of eligible electors subject to certain qualifying criteria.
Mission, Vision, Key Objectives, Functions-References:
- Type of EMB(independent, governmental, mixed)
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13
Mixed Model of Electoral Managment
Type of EMB(independent, governmental, mixed)-References:
- EMB budget source
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29 A national government department
EMB budget source-References:
- EMB expenditure audit
- Last Updated : 2016-10-06 A national government department
EMB expenditure audit-References:
- Number of EMB members (commissioners)
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13 1 - 5 members
Number of EMB members (commissioners)-References:
- Term of EMB members (commissioners)
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13 Five (5) Years
Term of EMB members (commissioners)-References:
- Who appoints members (commissioners)?
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13 Presidential Appointment
Who appoints members (commissioners)?-References:
- Selection of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
- Last Updated : 2016-09-13 Presidential Appointment
Selection of Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson-References:
- Administrative divisions
- Last Updated : 2016-11-07 divided into 14 regional corporations and municipalities
Administrative divisions -References:
- Delimitation of constituencies(electoral district)
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02 Trinidad and Tobago shall be divided into thirty-six constituencies or such other number as may be provided for by an Order made by the President in accordance with the provisions of this Part and each such constituency shall return one member to the House of Representatives
Delimitation of constituencies(electoral district) -References:
- Criteria for drawing boundaries
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 Equality of population
Respecting natural barriers
Other
Criteria for drawing boundaries-References:
- Body responsible for drawing boundaries
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02 Elections and Boundaries Commission
Body responsible for drawing boundaries-References:
- Requirements on the right to vote
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Reasons for having the right to vote revoked
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral Eligibility
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Reasons for having the eligibility revoked
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Requirements for party registration
- Last Updated : 2016-09-14
tt The Elections and Boundaries Commission does not register political parties per say but the proposed party symbol' and the requirements are as follows for processing an application:
1. Name of the political party;
2. Name of a responsible person in the
party with whom contact may be made;
3. A contact number;
4. Mailing address;
5. Name of the Symbol;
6. Line drawing of the Symbol; and
7. Description of the Symbol.
Requirements for party registration-References:
- Candidate nomination
- Last Updated : 2016-09-14
- You must be a Trinidad and Tobago citizen.
- You must be at least 18 years old on election day.
- Have resided in Trinidad and Tobago for a period of two (2) years immediately before the date of the nomination date of his nomination for election or is domiciled and resident in Trinidad and Tobago at that date.
- The proposed candidate must file a Statutory Declaration of a Person Nominated as a Candidate for Election as a Member of the House of Representative (Form 39)) with the Returning Officer for the electoral district where He/she intend to run along with all other supporting documents required by the nomination process.
The day of nomination of candidates, being not less than fourteen (14) days after the issue of the writ of elections.
Every candidate for election shall be nominated by six (6) or more persons, whose names appear on the list of electors supplied to the Returning Officer under Rule 5, signing as proposer a nomination paper in duplicate in the form set out as Form No. 37 or 38, as is case may be, in the Prescribed Form Rules, but a candidate shall be deemed to be validly nominated notwithstanding that subsequent to his signing the nomination paper any persons by whom the nomination paper was signed has been struck off of the list of electors for that electoral district.
Election
Rule 23 (6) states as follows:
“ A Returning Officer shall not recognize a candidate as a party candidate unless he has been informed on nomination day by the candidate in writing that he is member of the party and this membership is confirmed by a list of party candidates supplied to the Returning Officer by the party of which he claims membership not later than nomination day.”
A person shall not any election be nominated as a candidate for more than one electoral district.
The basic requirements for becoming a candidate are the following:
Candidate nomination-References:
Representation of the People Act (Chapter 2:01)
- Candidate Registration (National Assembly members)
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02
- Requirement
Age
Citizenship
Residence
Candidate Registration (National Assembly members) -References:
- Candidate registration deposit
- Last Updated : 2016-09-14
Parliamentary Elections - $5,000.00
The deposit may be made either by the deposit of any legal tender, or by means of a bankers' draft, or with the consent of the Returning Officer, in any other manner; but the Returning Officer may refuse to accept the deposit sought to be made by means of a bankers's draft, if he does not know if the drawer carries on business in Trinidad and Tobago. The full amount of every deposit made under Rule (9) shall fortwith after its receipt transmitted by the Returning Officer to the Comptroller of Accounts.
The full amount of every such deposit made under Rule (9) shall be returned by the Comptroller of Accounts to the person who made the deposit or his personal representative upon the productoion by him or his personal representatives, as the case may be, of a certificate from the Chief Election Officer that the candidate was elected or that he died before the close of the poll on polling day or that he has polled not less than of the one-eight of the total number of votes polled by all the candidates in the electoral district.
Candidate registration deposit-References:
Representation of the People Act (Chapter 2:01)
- Uncontested Election
- Last Updated : 2016-12-19 N/A
Uncontested Election -References:
- Preparation of the voters list
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Whether the registration is compulsory (or not)
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02
no
Whether the registration is compulsory (or not)-References:
- Who is responsible for the voters list
- Last Updated : 2016-11-07 Election Management Body
Who is responsible for the voters list -References:
- Voters list preparation procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Inspection and objection procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Definition
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Period
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Methods
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Prohibited forms of campaigning
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Who is not permitted to campaign
- Campaign Finance
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Campaign expense limit
- Income and expenditure of campaign expense
- Report, public inspection, and open of income and expenditure
- Investigation on income and expenditure of campaign expense & actions
- Reimbursement of campaign expense
- Presiding officers
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① How many of officers in a polling station
② Roles of each officer
③ How we nominate the officers
- Facilities or items a polling station is equipped with
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Polling station location criteria
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting hours
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Is compulsory or voluntary?
② How many ballot papers are distributed to each voter?
- Ballot Paper
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Determination of the order of candidates on ballots
② What has to be included in the ballot paper?
③ Ballot paper design or sample ballot paper
④ Valid and invalid ballot paper
- Voting Procedures
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Start ofvoting
- Process of voting
- End of voting
- Marking method
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Special voting (Absentee / Early / Proxy / Assisted / Postal / etc)
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
① Who are subjected to do
② Voting procedures
- Counting Location
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29 The polling stations
Counting Location-References:
- Counting period
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Vote counting method
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Counting Procedures
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29
Preliminary count of all ballots in ballot box - Tally of voters who voted - Number of ballots reconciled against ballots initially received (minus spoilt and unused) - Counted by hand
Counting Procedures-References:
- When are ballots recounted?
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29 Automatically (triggered) recounted under certain conditions - By request - Court order
When are ballots recounted?-References:
- Who is eligible to vote for overseas voting?
- Last Updated : 2016-10-26 Outside the country voting is not permitted
Who is eligible to vote for overseas voting?-References:
- Overseas voters list preparation
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Where to vote
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Voting procedure for early voting
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Methods used to transport ballot papers
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Counting procedure
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- How is the elected candidate chosen in the case of a tie?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Apportioning of National Assembly seats
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Results Announcement
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Is the announcement of preliminary result required?
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Deadline for announcement of final results
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Reason for holding a by- or re-election
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- By-election dates
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Electoral process
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Criteria for allocating free broadcast time
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17 There is no allocation of free broadcast time or free printed advertisement space to political parties.
Criteria for allocating free broadcast time-References:
- Television debates
- Last Updated : 2016-08-29 legislative elections
Television debates-References:
- Blackout period for release of election survey results
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
Blackout period for release of election survey results-References:
- Electoral dispute resolution body
- Last Updated : 2016-11-07 Judiciary
Electoral dispute resolution body-References:
- Electoral dispute resolution mechanism
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 a petition questioning an election or return shall be presented within eight days after the return has been made of the member to whose election the petition relates.
Electoral dispute resolution mechanism-References:
- Alternative electoral dispute resolution mechanism
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
Alternative electoral dispute resolution mechanism-References:
- Direct public funding
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02
N/A
Direct public funding-References:
- Private funding of political parties
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02
N/A
Private funding of political parties-References:
- Regulation, monitoring and investigation
- Last Updated : 2016-11-02 Sanctions include Fines, and Prison
Regulation, monitoring and investigation-References:
- Regulation, monitoring and investigation bodies
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Which electoral processes are using ICTs?
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17
Online data publication by EMB
* the country provides individual online voter registration/polling assignment checks (confirmation of registration using online interface, and assigned polling station using online interface)
* country publishes the statistical overview of voter lists online at the constituency level
* country publishes results aggregated at constituency level online
Which electoral processes are using ICTs? -References:
- When it was introduced
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
When it was introduced-References:
- Gender equality
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17
Gender Data:
Female Population: 603,750 (2014 est.)
Is Trinidad and Tobago a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (27 June 1985)
Has Trinidad and Tobago ratified CEDAW: Yes (12 January 1990)
Gender Quota: No
Female Candidates in this election: Yes
Number of Female Legislators: 12 (29%)[7] of 41 seats in the House of Representatives
Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 64
Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low
Gender equality-References:
- Aids for disabled or handicapped voters
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17
Disability Data:
· Is Trinidad and Tobago a signatory to CRPD: Yes (27 September 2007)
· Has Trinidad and Tobago ratified CRPD: Yes (25 June 2015)
· Population with a disability: 199,214 (est.)
Aids for disabled or handicapped voters -References:
- Voter education
- Last Updated : 2016-10-06 Election time only
Voter education-References:
- National civic education
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
National civic education-References:
- EMB Staff education
- Last Updated : 2016-11-30 N/A
EMB Staff education-References:
- Domestic observation
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- International observation
- Last Updated : 2016-11-17
The twelve (12) member CARICOM(Caribbean Community) Election Observation Mission which at the invitation of the Government of Trinidad and Tobago monitored the September 7, 2015 Parliamentary Elections, visited (353) three hundred and fifty-three polling stations across (22) twenty-two of the forty-one (41) established electoral districts. The Mission monitored the day’s activities by observing the Opening of the Poll, the Voting process, the Closing of the Poll and Counting of ballots.
International observation-References:
- Partnerships/MoUs
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- International Activities
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Major challenges to elections
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03
- Measures taken to deal with those Challenges
- Last Updated : 2016-05-03