Turks and Caicos Islands general election, 2012

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

General elections were held in Turks and Caicos Islands on 9 November 2012.[1] The PNP won the election, winning eight seats with the PDM winning seven.[2] The PNP won most of its seats by narrow margins over the PDM, while the PDM won its seats by wide margins over the PNP, with the result that despite winning fewer seats and thereby losing the election, the PDM garnered more overall votes nationwide.

Background

In 2009 the British government had imposed direct rule over the islands after an inquiry discovered evidence of corruption and incompetence in the islands' government.[3] The islands' government was suspended for two years and the British-appointed governor given executive power over the territory.[3]

On 12 June 2012 British Foreign Secretary William Hague announced that fresh elections would be held in November 2012, stating that there had been "significant progress with an ambitious reform programme" and that there had been "sufficient progress, on the milestones and on putting in place robust financial controls"[1]

A new constitution came into force on 15 October 2012. The terms of the election are specified in the constitution.[4]

Electoral system

The number of electoral constituencies has been reduced from 15 to 10.[5] Five members will be elected at-large at the national level.[5] According to a report on 12 October, there were 6,896 verified electors in the Electors Register, with an additional 349 to be published in a supplementary register later.[6]

Candidates

On Nomination Day, 25 October, a total of thirty-seven candidates were officially nominated. Among them were fifteen each from the Progressive National Party (PNP) and the People's Democratic Movement (PDM), five from the newly formed People's Progressive Party (PPP), and two independents.[7]

The below list of candidates comes from the Turks and Caicos Islands Elections Office.[8] Election results were confirmed on November 9, 2012 for local voting districts,[9] and on November 12, 2012 for the at-large seats.[10]

Results

Party Leader District At-large Total
seats		 +/–
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
People's Democratic Movement Oswald Skippings 3,164 50.13 4 15,431 50.71 3 7 +5
Progressive National Party Rufus Ewing 2,833 44.87 6 14,764 48.52 2 8 –5
People's Progressive Party Harold Charles 310 4.91 0 – – – 0 New
Independents 4 0.06 0 233 0.77 0 0 0
Invalid/blank votes 82 – – – – – –
Total 6,393 100 10 30,428 100 5 15 0
Source: TCI News, TCI News

By constituency

Constituency Candidate Party Votes
1. Grand Turk North George Alexander Lightbourne PNP 353
Derek Anthonio Rolle PDM 336
2. Grand Turk South Edwin Astwood PDM 524
Rex Elton Swann PNP 292
3. South Caicos Norman Benjamin Saunders PNP 219
Edith Andrea Cox PDM 132
4. North & Middle Caicos Ricardo Don Hue Gardiner PNP 261
Ashwood Leon Forbes PDM 250
5. Leeward Akierra M. Missick PNP 337
Ezra Ringo Tyrone Taylor PDM 305
Bennett Williams Independent 4
6. The Bight Porsha Monique Stubbs Smith PNP 335
Sonny Alexander Forbes PDM 294
Dorell Monique Pratt Delancy PPP 36
7. Cheshire Hall & Richmond Hill
(results voided in February 2013)		 Amanda A. Misick PNP 394
Isaac Oral Selver PDM 364
Edward E. Smith PPP 58
8. Blue Hills Goldray McMillin Ewing PDM 347
Adrian Carlyle Williams PNP 232
Wendal D. Wilson PPP 84
9. Five Cays Sean Rickard Astwood PDM 347
Thomas I.N. Ewing PNP 253
Harold Charles PPP 103
10. Wheeland Vaden Delroy Williams PDM 265
Gregory O'Neal Lightbourne PNP 157
Zhavargo J. Jolly PPP 29
All Island District
5 elected at-large
Sharlene Linette Cartwright Robinson PDM 3,427
Rufus Washington Ewing PNP 3,252
Derek Taylor PDM 3,191
Charles Washington Misick PNP 3,107
Josephine Connolly PDM 3,023
Carlos W. Simons PNP 2,899
Samuel I. Harvey PDM 2,896
Oswald O'Neal Skippings PDM 2,894
Wayne Newton Garland PNP 2,806
Royal Stephenson Robinson PNP 2,700
Oswald M. Simons Independent 233

Subsequent by-election

PDM candidate Isaac Selver filed an election petition in the Supreme Court regarding the results in Electoral District 7, in which he had lost to Amanda Misick of the PNP by 30 votes. Selver's petition stated that PPP candidate Edward Smith was ineligible to stand for election by reason of his dual citizenship and dual allegiance to the United States and the Turks and Caicos Islands, and that the 58 votes that went to Smith had affected the outcome of the election and could have resulted in Selver's victory over Misick. In a December 2012 interview, Smith claimed that he had renounced U.S. citizenship by taking an oath of allegiance to the Queen in order to take up a position in the Turks and Caicos government. However, he had used his United States passport to travel to the United States in July 2012 after that oath. On 7 February 2013, the Supreme Court ruled the election void.[11][12] A by-election will be held in late March.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Foreign Secretary statement announces elections in the Turks and Caicos Islands Foreign & Commonwealth Office
  2. ↑ http://suntci.com/pnp-wins-seats-pdm-p435-108.htm
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 UK imposes Turks and Caicos rule BBC News, 14 August 2009
  4. ↑ Governor Todd Signs Constitution Proclamation Turks & Caicos Weekly News Online
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Political Party Leaders Pleased With Proposed Boundaries. Turks and Caicos Weekly News
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ "Turks and Caicos Islands Election Results". Guide 2 Turks and Caicos, November 13, 2012.
  10. ↑ "At-Large results stand". Turks and Caicos Weekly News, November 13, 2012.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Retrieved from "https://infogalactic.com/w/index.php?title=Turks_and_Caicos_Islands_general_election,_2012&oldid=686350548"