EBC confirms TPP clean sweep, THA results unchanged after 2 recounts

TPP supporters celebrate a 15-0 sweep of the PNM in the THA election on January 12. - Ayanna Kinsale

The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) election results for two closely-contested districts have been confirmed following official recounts, with no change to the initial outcomes despite challenges from the People’s National Movement (PNM).

In a media release on on January 14, the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) announced recounts in Darrel Spring/Whim and Scarborough/Mt. Grace — both requested by the PNM — have been completed.

It noted in both instances the original results were upheld and the official ballot tallies confirm the Tobago People’s Party’s (TPP) victories in both electoral districts.

According to the EBC’s media release, in Darrel Spring/Whim, the TPP candidate secured 838 votes against the PNM’s 826, with the Innovative Democratic Alliance (IDA) receiving 14 votes and three ballots rejected.

In Scarborough/Mt. Grace, the TPP led with 854 votes, while the PNM trailed with 702, the IDA had 14 and six ballots were rejected.

The recounts conclude the two reviews initiated after the January 12 THA poll, where the TPP recorded a sweeping victory across Tobago.

The party won all 15 seats in the assembly, ousting the PNM’s lone representative in the THA, Kelvon Morris, in the process and leaving the assembly with no minority party representation.

Morris’s race to retain his Darrel Spring/Whim seat was one of the closest races island-wide and he lost by the narrowest of margins.

The 12-vote difference triggered his call for a recount amid the intense competition.

Morris initially said the margin warranted re-examination “to allow the process to be completed with clarity and confidence for everyone involved”.

The whitewash also triggered a political shift as the leader of PNM’s Tobago council, Ancil Dennis, also revealed he intends to resign from his post.

Newsday tried to contact Morris, Dennis and TPP leader Farley Augustine but received no response up till the time of publication.

With the recounts completed, the THA is moving fast to get on with the business of Tobagonians and the Assembly is due to host its inauguration ceremony on January 15 at 10.30 am.

The TPP’s comprehensive victory builds on the 14-1 performance of the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) – the party from which it was born – in the December 2021 THA election.

The victory also strengthens the party’s hold on the island’s politics as it mirrors its 2025 general election where the TPP captured the Tobago West and Tobago East constituencies from the PNM.

Notably, the whitewash came despite a 4.1 per cent decrease in the total number of votes for the TPP (16,240) when compared to the PDP’s performance in 2021 (16,933).

The PNM meanwhile continues to slide in its popularity among voters with a 12.4 per cent decrease in support at the polls having captured 10,456 votes compared to 11,943 in the 2021 THA elections.

The decline in support for both parties was evident in the reduced voter turnout – approximately 50.69 per cent of the island’s 53,239-strong electorate — the lowest for a THA poll in recent years.

With the recounts now concluded and the results formally certified, attention is expected to turn to the THA’s forthcoming sitting and the TPP’s legislative agenda.

In keeping with the TPP’s message of inclusive governance and local empowerment, and amendments to the THA Act to increase the number of THA secretaries is set to be debated by Parliament.

The bill will amend section 33(1) of the Act to increase the number of Secretaries from seven to eleven, in addition to the Chief Secretary and the Deputy Chief Secretary.

An explanatory note added the number of members required to constitute a quorum at a meeting of the THA will also be increased.

The explanatory note said section 68 of the Act will be amended to increase the quorum from nine to eleven, however, the proposed amendments indicate the quorum will be revised to twelve.