Media Releases

The public is advised that the Elections and Boundaries Commission has had to cease operations today, Wednesday 7th April, 2021 at its Tunapuna Registration Office, located at the Administrative Complex, Eastern Main Road, Tunapuna.

This closure, at this office ONLY has become necessary due to a water issue at the Complex, which has not been resolved. All persons with confirmed appointments for the renewal of expired National Identification Cards will be contacted to reschedule these appointments.

The Commission apologizes for any inconvenience that this disruption to our operations may cause and will advise of the reopening of this office once the issue has been resolved.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission wishes to advise that its Couva Registration Area Office, located at the TECU Building, Ground Floor, 80-82 Southern Main Road, Couva, will be closed to the public this weekend, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st March, 2021.

The closure of this Office ONLY on this weekend, has become necessary to facilitate on-going electrical work in the building.

Persons with appointments carded for this Saturday, March 20th, 2021 will be contacted to have these appointments rescheduled.

All Senior Citizens, who need to conduct renewal of ID card transactions at the Couva Registration Area Office on this Sunday ONLY, are invited to walk-in, no appointment needed during the upcoming week of March 22-26, 2021.

The EBC apologies for any inconvenience that the disruption of this weekend service may cause and advises that normal hours of operation will resume at the Couva Registration Area Office on Monday 22nd March, 2021

The Chief Election Officer is required by law, to notify the public, by publication in at least one (1) newspaper, of a return of the election expenses of a candidate, who contested an election, within ten days of receipt from the candidate’s election agent.

This notice, as set out in section 58 of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 2:01 provides the date on which the return and declaration were received by the Chief Election Officer and also provides the public with information on the days and times when these documenents can be inspected by members of the public, if so desired.

The summary of the return of election expenses for the 2021 Tobago House of Assembly and Local Government Bye-Elctions can be found here:

Summary of Return of Election Expenses for the 2021 THA and LGE-Byes

The Elections and Boundaries Commission advises of a temporary disruption to its “walk-in” service for Senior Citizens at the Couva Registration Area Office ONLY on Sunday 7^th March, 2021.

The EBC is aware of the overwhelming response to this Sunday “walk-in” service and are pleased to accommodate our affected Senior Citizens this Saturday, March 6^th 2021 at our Couva Registration Area Office.

The temporary disruption of this service on this Sunday has become necessary to facilitate electrical work being conducted in the TECU Building, in which the Couva Registration Area Office is housed.

The EBC apologizes for any inconvenience this temporary disruption may cause and advise that normal operations at the Couva Registration area Office will resume on Monday 8^th March, 2021.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission wishes to advise the payees listed in this public notice that ALL uncashed cheques, which were issued during the financial year 2019/2020, will become void on March 31st, 2021.

Payees who have already cashed their cheques should kindly disreagrd this notice.

For futher information,please contact the Ag. Accountant II at 624-3462.

EBC Uncashed Cheques 2019-20

Please be advised that our Sangre Grande Registration Area Office will be closed, temporarily on Thursday 18th February, 2021.

The closure of this Office has become necessary, as T&TEC has advised that it will undertake overhead line clearance work on that day and there will be an interruption in the supply of electricity to the area that will affect operations at our Office.

The EBC apologizes for any inconvenience this temporary closure may cause.  The Sangre Grande Registration Area Office will resume normal operations on Friday 19th February, 2021.

The EBC wishes to advise  that section 52 of the Representation of the People Act, Chap. 2:01 of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago (the Act) requires the Election Agent of every candidate who contested an election, to submit to the Chief Election Officer in respect of the candidate “a statement of all payments made by the Election Agent”. The submission is also required to be made by a candidate who acted as his own election agent. However, by section 39 of the Act, persons who contested a City or Borough election, are not required to file such a return.

The return is required to be submitted within forty-two (42) days after the day on which the result of the election was declared by the Returning Officer. In calculating the period within which the return must be submitted, Saturdays and Sundays are counted, while Public Holidays are excluded. The Elections and Boundaries Commission will, by way of public notice in the Press, advise of the last day by which the return relating to a particular election must be submitted. For these recently concluded elections, the deadline date is Tuesday 9th March, 2021. Completed specimen Forms Nos. 3, 4 and 5, which are to be used in the process, are published here for your guidance.

FORM NO. 3

Any person, other than the Election Agent, who incurs expenses on behalf of a candidate, having been authorised in writing by the Election Agent to do so, is required to submit a return relative to such expenses together with a declaration in the Form No. 3 of the Rules. Such return and declaration must be submitted to the Chief Election Officer within twenty-one (21) days after the date of publication of the result of the election.

Form No. 3 [SPECIMEN]

Form 3

FORM NO. 4

The “statement of all payments made by the Election Agent” is made in the form set out as Form No. 4 in the Prescribed Forms Rules of the Act (the Rules), and must be accompanied by all relevant bills and receipts.

Form No. 4 [SPECIMEN]

Form 4

FORM NO. 5

The return being submitted by an Election Agent must be accompanied by a declaration made by him in the Form No. 5 of the Rules. Additionally, each candidate is also required to submit a similar declaration (Form No. 5) at the same time that the return is being submitted by the Election Agent, or within seven (7) days afterwards. However, where the candidate is out of Trinidad and Tobago when the return is submitted, the declaration must be submitted within fourteen (14) days of his return to the country.

Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Candidate[SPECIMEN]

Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Election Agent [SPECIMEN]

Form No. 5 – Declaration by the Candidate acting as His own Election Agent[SPECIMEN]

Form 5

The recounts in the five electoral districts have ended. The outcomes remain unchanged.

The Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC)  received official requests for general recounts of the votes cast in five electoral districts – four in Tobago and one in Trinidad.

In Tobago, the Progressive Democratic Patriots has requested recounts in the electoral districts of Canaan/Bon Accord, Lambeau/ Signal Hill and Scarborough/Calder Hall. The People’s National Movement has requested a recount in the electoral district of Bethel/Mt. Irvine.

In the Local Government Bye-Elections, the independent candidate Christopher Wright, who received 307 votes in the electoral district of Hollywood, requested a recount.

Election Rule 101(1) of the Representation of the People Act, Chapter 2:01 provides for, inter alia, political parties and/or independent candidates to request a recount into the votes cast, no later than twelve noon on the day after the election.

The full details of the Press Release can be found in this attachment.

Press Release – Recounts in both THA and Local Government Bye-Elections, January 26, 2021

Voting is quick, simple , easy and SAFE! We’ve done our part to safeguard you on election day, but we remind you to wear your mask, it;s the law. Sanitize your hands before enternig the polling station and before you dip your finger in the electoral ink!

It’s Safe to Vote

Election Agents and Sub-Agents for the 2021 THA and Local Gov’t Bye-Elections