Electoral Commission

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Information for Candidates

Candidate Information

A person who is registered as a voter is eligible to contest an election:

  • Each candidate for election shall be nominated on a nomination paper by at least two registered voters, and his consent to nomination shall be given in writing on his nomination paper and attested by one witness:
    • Provided that, no candidate shall be deemed not to have been validly nominated by reason only of the fact that subsequent to nomination day any person by whom his nomination paper was signed is struck off the preliminary list of voters or the Register of Voters, or has died.
  • No person shall propose, second, or assent to the nomination of more than one candidate on the same nomination day.
  • Only the candidates, their election agents, and the persons by whom the candidates’ nomination papers are signed shall have the right to be present at the nomination proceedings before the returning officer.
  • Any person entitled to be present at nomination proceedings may challenge the validity of any other candidate’s nomination paper. In addition, thereto the returning officer shall have the right on his own motion to hold a nomination paper invalid on the grounds either that the particulars concerning the candidate or the persons subscribing to the nomination are not as required by law, or that the nomination paper is not subscribed as required by law.

Nomination of candidates

By law, it is the duty of the Returning Officer to accept the nomination of any suitably qualified candidate for election on Nomination day and at the place identified to do so. The Returning Officer is available between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. to receive nominations.

Qualifications for elected membership

A person is qualified to be elected as an elected member of the Legislative Assembly if he or she:
  • is a Montserratian by virtue of section 107(2)(a) or 107(2)(b)(ii); and
  • was born of a father or mother who at the time of the birth was a Montserratian by virtue of section 107(2)(a) or 107(2)(b)(ii).

And provided that he or she:

  • has attained the age of 21 years;
  • is a registered voter;
  • and has been in Montserrat for at least twelve months during the five years immediately preceding the date of his or her nomination for election.

Section 107(2)(a) and 107 (2)(b)(ii) of the Constitution – a person shall be regarded as a Montserratian if that person—

  • is a British Overseas Territories citizen who was born in Montserrat; or
  • is a British Overseas Territories citizen who was born outside Montserrat and— whose father or mother or any grandparent was born in Montserrat.

See also Section 52 of the Constitution regarding disqualifications for elected membership

Additional Information

1) During the hours that the poll is open upon polling day no person shall upon any public road or in any public place within 100 yards of any building in which a polling station is situated seek to influence any voter to vote for any candidate or to ascertain for what candidate any voter intends to vote or has voted. 

(2) Every person who contravenes subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of $240 or to imprisonment for six months.