OAS Mission urges electoral reforms in St. Lucia after orderly Dec. 1 polls

CNW News –  The Electoral Observation Mission (EOM) of the Organization of American States (OAS) has issued a detailed set of findings and recommendations aimed at strengthening St. Lucia’s electoral system, following its assessment of the December 1 general election.

Drawing on direct observations, stakeholder engagements, and a review of the country’s regulatory framework, the Mission said the vote “proceeded in a generally orderly and peaceful manner” but highlighted several administrative and structural challenges that require urgent attention.

Led by Dr. Riyad Insanally, former Ambassador of Guyana to the United States and the OAS, the Mission emphasized the pressures created by the short electoral timeline. With only 21 days between the issuance of Writs of Election on Nov. 10 and election day, the EOM said authorities faced “administrative challenges” despite maintaining a state of continuous readiness.

“While the Electoral Department implemented various measures to maintain a state of continuous readiness, there were still numerous administrative processes that required execution in the weeks preceding election day,” the Mission stated. It praised the department’s operational checklist but noted that “this operational plan lacked clearly defined deadlines for critical activities, including the delivery of electoral materials, assignment of access credentials, and scheduling of training sessions, among others.”

To avoid similar issues in future elections, the EOM recommended establishing a comprehensive electoral calendar that includes both legally mandated deadlines and precise timelines for all operational tasks.

Improving Voter Registry Accuracy and Voting Logistics

The Mission also called for formal data-sharing between the Electoral Department and the Civil Status Registry to allow “systematic cross-referencing of vital records, particularly death certificates,” in order to keep the voter list up to date.

To improve efficiency during Advance Polls, the EOM recommended increasing the number of voting booths for security personnel to at least two per polling station. It also urged authorities to reduce wait times on election day by adopting a “standardized procedure” allowing poll workers to verify credentials for upcoming voters while another person is casting a ballot.

The Mission further recommended creating a secure practice environment for electoral staff to familiarize themselves with the applications they must use on election day, without risking exposure of real electoral data.

Additionally, the EOM encouraged St. Lucia to enhance voter information tools. It recommended greater promotion of the Voter Record Search application and establishing staffed kiosks at all polling places equipped with digital access to the official voters list. “This will allow staff to better guide electors directly to their correct voting station,” the Mission said.

Gaps in Election Dispute Resolution and Political Party Oversight

The EOM raised concerns about the absence of statutory deadlines for adjudicating election petitions, noting that this gap “could give rise to uncertainty regarding the duration of electoral disputes.” It suggested introducing clear timelines to bring St. Lucia in line with international standards on timely and effective remedies.

The Mission also recommended assessing whether to expand the membership of the Electoral Commission to “broaden representation and strengthen institutional capacity.”

Women’s Representation Still Lagging

The EOM noted that while women are “deeply embedded in the democratic process,” they remain significantly underrepresented as candidates. It advocated for parity measures within political parties, gender quota mechanisms, targeted financial support, and expanded mentorship and leadership programs to help level the playing field.

Election Results

The St. Lucia Labour Party won a decisive victory, securing 14 of the 17 seats in the House of Assembly. The opposition United Workers Party won one seat — Micoud South, held by party leader Allen Chastanet. The party’s other previously held seat, Choiseul, was won by Labour’s Keithson Charles. Independent candidates Stephenson King (Castries North) and Richard Frederick (Castries Central) were returned to office. Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre will now lead the government for a second consecutive five-year term.