After three weeks of intense campaigning, 50,227 Tobagonians are expected to vote tomorrow for 39 candidates, in 12 electoral districts for a new Tobago House of Assembly (THA) executive to govern their affairs for the next four years.
The election brings the curtain down on what has been described as an intense, and, at times, acrimonious campaign on the island.
The race has pitted Tobagonian against Tobagonian, as voters threw their support behind their favourite party in the four-way race.
The island would see a complete changing of the guards, as a new chief secretary would take office. Former chief secretary, Orville London has exited electoral politics and gave his final farewell during the People’s National Movement’s (PNM) youth rally at Garden Side carpark in Scarborough, yesterday.
The four contenders are the incumbent PNM, led by Kelvin Charles, main opponent the Progressive Democratic Patriots (PDP) led by Watson Duke, the Tobago Forwards led by Christlyn Moore, and the Movement for Transformation, led by Eudine Job- Davis.
Last Friday, two out of the four political parties—the PNM and the PDP took over the streets of Scarborough in their respective marches as they showed support for their political parties.
In 2013, the PNM won the THA elections 12-0; 46,601 people were eligible to vote, but only 32,657 or 70.08 per cent people exercised their franchise to vote in that election, according to the Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC). An increased voter turnout is anticipated tomorrow.
The winning team is expected to be announced during the early hours of Tuesday morning by the EBC when the ballots are counted from all the polling divisions spread throughout the island.