2022 Grenadian general election

Snap general elections were held in Grenada on 23 June 2022.[1] The incumbent Prime Minister Keith Mitchell sought a sixth term.[2] National Democratic Congress (NDC) made a return to parliament after nine years of absence, defeating the ruling party New National Party (NNP), which led to Dickon Mitchell becoming the new prime minister of Grenada.[3] This is also the first election since 2008 where the NDC gained seats.

2022 Grenadian general election

← 2018 23 June 2022 (2022-06-23) Next →

All 15 seats in the House of Representatives
8 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Dickon Mitchell Keith Mitchell
Party NDC NNP
Last election 40.53%, 0 seats 58.91%, 15 seats
Seats won 9 6
Seat change Increase 9 Decrease 9
Popular vote 31,430 28,959
Percentage 51.84% 47.76%
Swing Increase 11.28pp Decrease 11.12pp

Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Keith Mitchell
NNP

Elected Prime Minister

Dickon Mitchell
NDC

Background

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During the previous election held in March 2018, the NNP, led by prime minister Keith Mitchell, was re-elected to a fifth term. Like in the 2013 election, the NNP won all 15 seats in the house of representatives.[4]

Three months after the 2018 election, NDC leader Nazim Burke resigned, and deputy leader Joseph Andall acted as party leader in the interim.[5][6] Former education minister Franka Bernardine was elected unopposed at the next party convention in November.[7] She resigned in November 2020 for health reasons, with deputy leader Adrian Thomas taking charge in the interim period.[8] The NDC reconvened in October 2021 to elect new party executives; the party chose attorney Dickon Mitchell (no relation) to lead the NDC, with Adrian Thomas as deputy leader.[9]

Electoral system

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The 15 members of the House of Representatives are elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies.[10]

Conduct

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Prime minister Mitchell advised the governor-general, Dame Cécile La Grenade, to dissolve the house of representatives on 16 May, one year earlier than the full five years term of the outgoing house[why?]. La Grenade issued a writ for the election the following day. In the short time between the election announcement and the issue of the writ, citizens only had one day to register to vote if they had not done so already. Candidate nominations occurred on 1 June.[11] Police officers voted on 20 June.[12]

The Caribbean Community and the Organization of American States sent delegations to observe the election. The prime minister assured that the presence of both observer missions provided "transparency and confidence to the electoral process".[13]

Candidates

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41 candidates were nominated for this election, with five participating parties and one independent candidate. The New National Party (NNP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) nominated candidates for all 15 seats. The Grenada United Labour Party (GULP) nominated 4 candidates, while the Independent Freedom Party (IFP) and the Grenada Renaissance Party (GRP) nominated 3 each.[14]

Slogans and manifestos

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Party Slogans Manifesto
NNP "Safer Hands!", "Expanding the Empowerment Agenda" [15]
NDC "Transforming Grenada!", "Let's Move Grenada Forward" [16]
GULP "GULP to the Rescue", "Independence. Justice. Development"[17] [18][19][20][21]
IFP "The Eyes Have It"[22]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Democratic Congress31,43051.849+9
New National Party28,95947.766–9
Grenada United Labour Party640.110New
Independent Freedom Party600.100New
Grenada Renaissance Party310.0500
Independents860.1400
Total60,630100.00150
Valid votes60,63099.49
Invalid/blank votes3110.51
Total votes60,941100.00
Registered voters/turnout86,65870.32
Source: Grenada Elections 2022

By constituency

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Constituency Electorate Turnout % Political party Candidate Votes %
Carriacou and Petite Martinique 5,414 3,780 69.81 National Democratic Congress Tevin Andrews 1,954 51.69
New National Party Kindra Stewart 1,805 47.75
St. Andrew North East 5,362 4,071 75.92 New National Party Kate Lewis-Peters 2,190 53.79
National Democratic Congress Tessa St. Cyr 1,864 45.78
Independent Freedom Party Jennel Ramsee 10 0.24
St. Andrew North West 4,798 3,680 76.69 New National Party Delma Thomas 1,898 51.57
National Democratic Congress Gloria Thomas 1,767 48.01
St. Andrew South East 4,868 3,571 73.35 New National Party Emmalin Pierre 1,893 53.01
National Democratic Congress David Andrew 1660 46.48
St. Andrew South West 5,327 3,855 72.36 National Democratic Congress Lennox Andrews 2,129 55.22
New National Party Yoland Bain-Horsford 1,704 44.20
St. David 9,866 7,189 72.86 National Democratic Congress Dickon Mitchell 4,414 61.39
New National Party Oliver Joseph 2,742 38.14
Independent Freedom Party Junior Francis 18 0.25
St. George North East 7,727 5,390 69.75 National Democratic Congress Ron Redhead 3,220 59.74
New National Party Nimrod Ollivierre 2,133 39.57
Grenada Renaissance Party Martin Edwards 15 0.27
St. George North West 4,534 2,995 66.05 New National Party Keith Mitchell 2,211 73.82
National Democratic Congress Jonathan LaCrette 773 25.80
St. George South 10,903 7,019 64.37 National Democratic Congress Andy Williams 4,029 57.40
New National Party Sebastian Cox 2,961 42.18
Grenada Renaissance Party Mendell Samuel 12 0.17
St. George South East 5,413 3,800 70.20 National Democratic Congress Alfred Telesford 2,122 55.84
New National Party Gregory Bowen 1,634 43.0
Independent Freedom Party Bassanio Nicholas 32 0.84
Grenada Renaissance Party Dennyka Checkley 4 0.10
St. John 6,392 4,464 69.83 National Democratic Congress Kerryne James 2,216 49.64
New National Party Martin DaBreo 2,209 49.48
Grenada United Labour Party Geoffrey Preudhomme 19 0.42
St. Mark 3,690 2,498 67.69 New National Party Clarice Modeste-Curwen 1,470 58.84
National Democratic Congress Quinc Britton 995 39.83
Grenada United Labour Party David Francis 18 0.72
St. Patrick East 3,914 2,791 71.30 National Democratic Congress Dennis Matthew-Cornwall 1,443 51.70
New National Party Pamela Moses 1,322 47.36
Grenada United Labour Party Nigel John 18 0.64
St. Patrick West 4,668 3,288 70.43 National Democratic Congress Joseph Andall 1,726 52.49
New National Party Victor Philip 1,458 44.34
Independent Winston Frederick 86 2.61
Grenada United Labour Party Augustine David 9 0.27
Town of St. George 3,781 2,462 65.11 New National Party Peter David 1,329 53.98
National Democratic Congress Claudette Joseph 1,118 45.41
Source: Grenada Elections 2022

Aftermath

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Outgoing prime minister Keith Mitchell called Dickon Mitchell to congratulate him on his electoral triumph. At the same time, he urged the incoming prime minister to consider preserving programs implemented by the NNP government, which he said delivered a significant benefit to ordinary Grenadians. Keith Mitchell, who became opposition leader, vowed to provide the new government with a productive opposition and insisted it would be "nothing personal".[23] Dickon Mitchell was sworn in as prime minister on 24 June 2022.[24]

Mitchell was congratulated by foreign leaders, including Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel[25] and the prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Prime Minister Mitchell announces June 23 election date for Grenada". Barbados Today. 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  2. ^ "PM hints at major announcement as Grenada prepares for early election | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Live blog: Grenada votes election 2022 | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Grenada General Election Results - 13 March 2018". Caribbean Elections. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  5. ^ Greaves, Natalie (5 July 2018). "Grenada opposition leader Nazim Burke resigns". Caribbean National Weekly. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  6. ^ "Joseph Andall Becomes NDC Interim Leader An Nazim Burke Resigns". Wee FM Radio. St. George's. 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  7. ^ "Franka Alexis-Bernardine takes charge of NDC". The New Today. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  8. ^ "NDC loses its leader". Grenadian Voice. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  9. ^ "National Democratic Congress Signals a Fresh Start with Newly Elected Executive Body". ndcgrenada.org. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  10. ^ Electoral system IPU
  11. ^ "UPDATE: Election bell rung, PM Mitchell going after historic 6th term". Loop. 15 May 2022. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Police officers vote in Grenada general election". Caribbean National Weekly. 20 June 2022. Archived from the original on 25 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  13. ^ "Grenada: International observers will be present for general election". Loop. 8 June 2022. Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  14. ^ "Nomination Day Report". www.nowgrenada.com. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  15. ^ "New National Party Manifesto- 100 Million For 100 Thousand, Practical Policies For All". New National Party. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via Issuu.
  16. ^ "2022 NDC Manifesto". National Democratic Congress of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. 21 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via Issuu.
  17. ^ "#GULP Song & Anthem". Grenada United Labour Party. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via Facebook.
  18. ^ "GULP POLITICAL LEADER POLICY SPEECH SERIES 1". Grenada United Labour Party. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via YouTube.
  19. ^ "GULP POLITICAL LEADER POLICY SPEECH SERIES 2". Grenada United Labour Party. 20 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via YouTube.
  20. ^ "GULP POLITICAL LEADER POLICY SPEECH SERIES 3". Grenada United Labour Party. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via YouTube.
  21. ^ "GULP POLITICAL LEADER POLICY SPEECH SERIES 4". Grenada United Labour Party. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ "IFP IS READY". Grenada Broadcasting Network. 7 June 2022. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Grenada: Former PM Dr Keith Mitchell congratulates Dickon Mitchell". Loop. 24 June 2022. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  24. ^ a b Lee Yan LaSur (24 June 2022). "PM Gonsalves congratulates Dickon Mitchell on Election Victory". St. Vincent Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  25. ^ "Presidente de Cuba felicita a nuevo Primer Ministro de Granada". Prensa Latina (in Spanish). Havana. Archived from the original on 24 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.