Electoral observer missions from the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Commonwealth, and CARICOM have all declared Antigua and Barbuda's general elections a successful and peaceful exercise in democracy, praising the professionalism of polling staff and the orderly conduct of voters across all 17 constituencies. According to Antigua.news, the missions delivered their preliminary findings at separate venues following election day.
Dr. Pelonomi Venson, Chairperson of the Commonwealth Observer Group and former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Botswana, presented her group's findings at the Hodges Bay Resort. "Our overall conclusion is that the elections were conducted in a peaceful and transparent manner," she said. The Commonwealth group, deployed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey, maintained a presence across all 17 constituencies from the opening of polls through the counting of ballots.
Observers specifically commended the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission (ABEC) for deploying information clerks outside polling stations, providing clear signage, and distributing a comprehensive information pack to observers. The group did, however, raise concerns about the regulatory framework governing campaign finance, noting that stakeholders identified the area as requiring reform and greater oversight.
At the Siboney Hotel, CARICOM Election Observation Mission Chief of Mission Maxine McClean, a member of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission of Barbados, offered a broadly positive assessment of election day proceedings. The CARICOM mission comprised six electoral experts drawn from Barbados, Dominica, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The team visited 182 of 185 polling stations across 16 of the 17 constituencies and found that voting procedures were conducted in accordance with ABEC guidelines throughout the day.
McClean noted that voter turnout was highest in the morning hours, followed by the expected midday lull, with most stations reporting few or no queues at the 6 p.m. close.
The OAS Electoral Observation Mission, led by former OAS Secretary for Access to Rights and Equity Maricarmen Plata, released its preliminary report online on May 1. The 17-member mission, drawn from 11 countries, covered all 17 constituencies and visited 178 polling stations across all 49 polling divisions.
As reported by Antigua.news, the OAS mission flagged a notable drop in voter participation. Turnout stood at 62.41 percent, a decline of 7.9 percentage points compared to the 2023 general elections, when participation reached 70.34 percent. The mission's report called for a comprehensive revision of the Representation of the People Act, stronger campaign finance regulation, improved voter registration procedures, and measures to increase women's political participation.
On the question of gender representation, the report noted that only five of the 37 candidates were women — a decrease in the rate of female candidacies from 20.75 percent in 2023 to 13.51 percent in this election cycle.
All three missions extended congratulations to Prime Minister Browne and the newly elected members of the House of Representatives following the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party's victory in 15 of the 17 constituencies. Comprehensive final reports from each mission are expected to be made public in the coming weeks.
