10pm: Prime Minister and PNM Political Leader Dr Keith Rowley is delivering an address at Balisier House. He says the PNM went into this election with 7 Corporations and came out with 7. He says while they lost a seat in the San Fernando Corporation, they won a seat in the Princes Town Corporation.
Dr Rowley says now that the Election is out of the way, that common sense will prevail. He hopes the Corporations will work with the Government to implement Local Government Reform.
9:05pm: The PNM’s Laurel Lezama-Lee Sing says the PNM has retained the Port of Spain Corporation, as well as all seats in the Point Fortin Corporation.
8:50pm: UNC Political Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar has declared victory for her party in the following Municipal Corporations:
- Siparia
- Penal/Debe
- Princes Town
- Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo
- Chaguanas
- Sangre Grande
She says inroads were also made in the Arima and Diego Martin Corporations.
7:20pm: The NTA is accusing the leader of another political party of possibly breaching Election Day restrictions. In a statement, the NTA said there were Facebook posts with campaign material, as well as a post advising persons how to “spoil their ballot”. The party says it has written to the relevant authorities to seek their guidance in these matters.
6pm: The polls officially CLOSE at 6pm. Those who would have been in line to vote before this time, will be allowed to cast their ballots.
5pm: 103.1FM’s Rai Ricomas remains on the ground in Central Trinidad. He spoke with some voters in Las Lomas, which falls within the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo region.
2:20pm: Signage at the campaign offices for two candidates in the San Fernando region were covered after warnings from police due to their proximity to a polling station. According to reports, the signs were at the offices for the PNM’s candidate for Les Efforts East/Cipero, as well as for the UNC’s candidate for Les Efforts West/La Romain. The case of the latter, UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial filed a complaint with the police, as she says the office is more than 100 metres away from the polling station.
4pm: Rai Ricomas is now in Central Trinidad. He is reporting a bit of an afternoon pick-up in voter turnout.
2:45pm: 103.1FM’s Rai Ricomas spoke to a few voters who cast their ballots at St Augustine Girls High School. Their votes are for the Curepe/Pasea district in the Tunapuna/Piarco region.
12:30pm: 103.1FM’s Director of News & IT visited Hillview College, which is one of hundreds of schools serving as polling stations for today’s Local Government Elections.
12:15pm:
12pm: Shortly before 12PM, 103.1FM News spoke with Chief Elections Officer Fern Narcis-Scope, who says no major incidents have been reported thus far. Polling stations opened on time. There were also some instances of persons uncertain about where to go. She noted that there are 2,000 plus polling stations, and in some cases, multiple polling stations on the same compound. An Information Officer is present on site to help guide voters. For further information, persons can also access the registration lookout portal on the EBC’s website, or they can call the following hotline numbers: 785-8211 or 785-8206. Additionally, Mrs. Narcis-Scope says there have been no reports of power outages or weather related disruptions. She adds that while voter turnout has been slow thus far, things may pick up in the afternoon.
11am: In San Fernando, there was an issue with banners at the campaign office for Les Efforts West/La Romain candidate Rishi Balramsingh of the UNC. According to CNC3, police issued instructions for the banners to be removed from the location at Todd Street, as they deemed it too close to a polling station. A complaint was subsequently lodged with the Southern Division by UNC Senator Jayanti Lutchmedial. She maintains that the office is more than 100 yards from the polling station, and so, the banners do not have to be removed.
10:50am: Vindhar Suraj says proceedings at Newtown Boys RC Primary School in Port of Spain have been slow, with just a handful of voters turning out over the course of the morning. No issues reported at this location. There was also some rain and continuing overcast conditions in the city.
6:45am: 103.1FM’s Vindhar Suraj reports that there has been a slow start to voting at the El Socorro Government Primary School shortly after 6am when the polls were opened. He says there are no issues thus far with a smooth process, according to those who would have cast their ballots.
6am: Voting has gotten underway at all election stations in Trinidad for the 2023 Local Government polls.
There are 372 candidates contesting the elections in 141 electoral districts within 14 municipalities in Trinidad only. 10 political parties have put forward candidates, with the People’s National Movement (PNM) being the only party with candidates in all 141 electoral districts. There are also six independent candidates.
The EBC says all efforts have been made for each elector to cast their vote. As many as 1,078,651 persons are eligible to vote, with just over 13 thousand special electors, who would have already cast their ballots.
And, the EBC has reminded that persons who may not have received their poll card or have expired ID cards, they can still vote, once their name is on the Revised List of Electors. Persons unsure of the location of their polling station can visit the EBC’s website at www.ebctt.com and do a Registration Look Up or call the EBC’s hotlines at 785-8206 or 785-8211.