Dominica Elections: 45 candidates file nomination, voters to have highest options

Dominica: The Commonwealth of Dominica’s upcoming general elections has penned down history. This year the total number of candidates nominated for the elections is the highest. In the general elections in 2022, the nominations closed with 45 candidates on the boat.

These candidates have offered themselves as a candidate in Dominica’s forthcoming general election. Out of the total, six constituencies are unopposed, and Dominica Labour Party is the only front which will contest from these constituencies. The remaining constituencies will offer the voters more than two options.

Before 2022, 44 candidates nominated themselves in 2014 and in 2019, Dominicans voted for 42 candidates. This is for the very first time in over a decade that most voters will have the choice not just of two candidates but three choices.

The Commonwealth of Dominica will witness elections on December 6, 2022.

According to the Electoral office, the list of candidates is as follows:

Candidates who were duly elected are:

VIEILLE CASE CONSTITUENCY
Roosevelt Skerrit – Dominica Labour Party

ROSEAU VALLEY CONSTITUENCY
Irving Francis McIntyre – Dominica Labour Party

COLIHAUT CONSTITUENCY
Darren Pinard – Dominica Labour Party

COTTAGE CONSTITUENCY
Roland Royer – Dominica Labour Party

PAIX BOUCHE CONSTITUENCY
Lakeyia Lennicia Jamelle Joseph – Dominica Labour Party

PETITE SAVANNE CONSTITUENCY
Jullan B.G Defoe – Dominica Labour Party

Duly nominated candidates are:

GRAND BAY CONSTITUENCY
Vince Henderson – Dominica Labour Party
Lyndon Peters – Team Unity Dominica
Henry Morris Shillingford – Independent

CASTLE BRUCE CONSTITUENCY
Octavia Alfred – Dominica Labour Party
Kelvin Cadette – Independent

LA PLAINE CONSTITUENCY
Dr Cassandra Williams – Dominica Labour Party
Jason Fontaine – Team Unity Dominica

MAHAUT CONSTITUENCY
Cassani C Laville – Dominica Labour Party
Dunstan Peters – Independent

MARIGOT CONSTITUENCY
Gregory Riviere – Dominica Labour Party
Anthony Samora Charles – Independent
Carlos Keith Charles – Team Unity Dominica

MORNE JAUNE/RIVIERE CYRIQUE CONSTITUENCY
Gretta Bernadette Roberts – Dominica Labour Party
Kertney Matthew – Independent

PORTSMOUTH CONSTITUENCY
Fenella Wenham – Dominica Labour Party
Magdalene Heather Vidal – Independent

ROSEAU CENTRAL CONSTITIUENCY
Melissa Poponne-Skerrit – Dominica Labour Party
Jason Jno. Baptiste – Team Unity Dominica
Karshma Richards – Independent

ROSEAU NORTH CONSTITUENCY
Miriam Alethea Blanchard – Dominica Labour Party
Sherman Hartford Boston – Independent
Tyrone Fred Nicholas – Independent

ROSEAU SOUTH CONSTITUENCY
Chekira Nikisha Sara Lockhart – Dominica Labour Party
Davidson Kenyatta Julien – Independent
Wayne Norde – Independent

SALISBURY CONSTITUENCY
Lynsia Frank – Dominica Labour Party
Jesma Paul – Independent

SALYBIA CONSTITUENCY
Cozier Pius Frederick – Dominica Labour Party
Vincia Massala Casey – Independent
Muta Justine Laville Matthew – Independent

ST JOSEPH CONSTITUENCY
Darron Tevin Lloyd – Dominica Labour Party
Tiyani I Behanzin – Independent
Ferdinand Marcus Germain – Independent
Irving Pascal – Independent
Clivian Ian Rolle – Team Unity Dominica

SOUFRIERE CONSTITUENCY
Denise Charles – Dominica Labour Party
Tahira Blanchard – Independent

WESLEY CONSTITUENCY
Fidel N Grant – Dominica Labour Party
Clint Rolle – Independent

Before 2022, the general elections were held on December 6, 2019, in the Commonwealth of Dominica. The Dominica Labour Party, which is the ruling political front in the nation, claimed a landslide victory by winning 18 seats out of 21 elected seats. The remaining three seats were won by the opposition – United Workers Party.

This was DLP’s fifth consecutive win in the elections, and Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit served the nation as PM five continuous times.

Dominica Labour Party won 23,643 votes, with 18 seats, and United Workers Party won 16,424 votes with three seats. Previously, a total of 40,067 voters participated in the electoral process. Whereas 74,896 was the total registered voters/turnout.

Dominica elects a candidate on a national level in a legislature. For the first time, Dominica witnessed elections in the year 1832. In Dominica, the House of Assembly has a total of 32 members; out of those 21 members elected for a five-year term in single-seat constituencies, nine appointed senators, the Speaker and one ex-officio member, the president is elected by the House of Assembly.

The Commonwealth of Dominica has a two-party system, which means that the nation’s matter will be discussed by two political parties. Dominica had a three-party system until Dominica Labour Party and Dominica Freedom Party formed a coalition government. DFP collapsed after acquiring only two seats, making UWP the main opposition.