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2010 Anguillian general election

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General elections were held in Anguilla on 15 February 2010.[1] Seven seats in the House of Assembly were contested in the election.[1]

The incumbent Chief Minister of Anguilla Osbourne Fleming chose to retire and not stand for election.[2] Fleming was a member of the Anguilla National Alliance, which is part of the ruling Anguilla United Front (AUF), a conservative coalition that won four of the seven seats in the Assembly in the 2005 elections.

The incumbent AUF was defeated, and former Chief Minister Hubert Hughes was sworn in to succeed Fleming as chief minister.

Background

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In 2009, Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, who was also the leader of the Anguilla United Front (AUF), announced that he would not stand for re-election in the 2010 race.[2] Two other members of the ruling AUF also announced their intent to retire as well – Parliamentary Secretary Albert Hughes and Communications and Works Minister Kenneth Harrigan.[2] Collectively, Fleming, Hughes and Harrigan had been active in Anguillan politics for more than 80 years.[2] It was announced that Finance Minister Victor Banks would succeed Fleming as the party leader of the AUF coalition.[2]

According to the Constitution of Anguilla, the general election was due to be held by March 2010. However, the election could have been postponed until as late as May or June 2010.[2]

On Monday, 4 January 2010, the last day of the current Assembly, the leader of government business held talks with the Governor of Anguilla, Alistair Harrison, concerning the dissolution of the legislative body to pave the way for new elections.[2] That same day, Chief Minister Fleming told the Assembly that he felt that the previous five years of AUF in Anguilla had been a success, "The people elected us for five years and five years it would be, that was my commitment that was my pledge."[2]

Retiring Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming officially set 15 February 2010, as the date for the election during a public meeting of the ruling Anguilla United Front (AUF) in Blowing Point held on 5 January 2010.[2] In his announcement, Fleming told supporters, "Tonight, I take great pleasure in advising you that by the help of God, because we don't know what could happen, elections in Anguilla will be on the 15th of February 2010."[2]

Colville Petty, the supervisor of elections, reported that 8,652 voters were registered to vote in the seven electoral districts on the island.[3] That marked an increase in voter registration from the 2005 general election, when 7,558 people registered to vote.[3] Electoral District Four, which includes parts of The Valley, the capital of Anguilla, had the largest number of registered voters in the 2010 election, with a total of 1,789.[3]

Candidates

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Twenty candidates registered to contest the seven Assembly seats in the election.[1][3] The nomination papers for all candidates were due on Thursday, 21 January 2010.[3]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Anguilla United Front2,78139.372–2
Anguilla United Movement2,30832.684+3
Anguilla Progressive Party1,03914.711+1
Independents93513.2400
Appointed members40
Total7,063100.00110
Valid votes7,06399.45
Invalid/blank votes390.55
Total votes7,102100.00
Registered voters/turnout8,65482.07
Source: Anguilla Elections, Caribbean Elections

By constituency

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Constituency Candidate Party Votes %
1 - Island Harbour Othlyn Vanterpool Anguilla United Front 383 34.07
Palmavon Webster Anguilla Progressive Party 245 21.80
Terry Harrigan Independent 236 21.00
Samuel Webster Anguilla United Movement 215 19.13
Kennedy Hodge Independent 45 4.00
2 - Sandy Hill Jerome Roberts Anguilla Progressive Party 317 53.46
Cora Richardson-Hodge Anguilla United Front 276 46.54
3 - Valley North Evans Rogers Anguilla United Front 679 50.94
Sutcliffe Hodge Independent 654 49.06
4 - Valley South Evan Gumbs Anguilla United Movement 788 53.79
Victor Banks Anguilla United Front 677 46.21
5 - Road North Edison Baird Anguilla United Movement 488 64.13
Delsic Rey Anguilla United Front 236 31.01
Fabian Lewis Anguilla Progressive Party 37 4.86
6 - Road South Hubert Hughes Anguilla United Movement 504 45.28
Curtis Richardson Anguilla United Front 352 31.63
Brent Davis Anguilla Progressive Party 257 23.09
7 - West End Walcott Richardson Anguilla United Movement 313 46.44
Wilmoth Hodge Anguilla Progressive Party 183 27.15
Kenswick Richardson Anguilla United Front 178 26.41

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "BBC Caribbean News in Brief: Anguilla slate confirmed". Stabroek News. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "General election set for February". Jamaica Gleaner. 7 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "Anguilla: Candidates file nomination papers ahead of February 15 poll". Jamaica Observer. 23 January 2010. Retrieved 23 January 2010.