General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda on 12 March 2009. The result was a victory for the United Progressive Party, which won nine of the seventeen elected seats in the House of Representatives.

2009 Antiguan general election

← 2004 12 March 2009 2014 →

All 17 seats in the House of Representatives
9 seats needed for a majority
Turnout80.27% (Decrease 10.92pp)
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Baldwin Spencer Lester Bird Trevor Walker
Party UPP ALP BPM
Seats won 9 7 1
Seat change Decrease 3 Increase 3 Steady
Popular vote 21,239 19,657 474
Percentage 50.95% 47.16% 1.14%
Swing Decrease 4.55pp Increase 5.22pp Decrease 0.12pp

Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Baldwin Spencer
UPP

Subsequent Prime Minister

Baldwin Spencer
UPP

Conduct

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Three days before the elections the Chamber of Commerce announced observations of voter registration irregularities and called for an investigation into the matter. For example, in the Saint Peter constituency, voter registration increased by 41%.[1]

A three-member observation team from Belize, Canada, and Guyana observed the election.[2]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
United Progressive Party21,23950.959–3
Antigua Labor Party19,65747.167+3
Barbuda People's Movement4741.1410
Organisation for National Development1190.290New
Independents1960.4700
Total41,685100.00170
Valid votes41,68599.52
Invalid/blank votes2010.48
Total votes41,886100.00
Registered voters/turnout52,18380.27
Source: PDBA, IFES

Aftermath

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On 31 March 2010, a judge nullified the election of UPP's leader Spencer and two other UPP MPs, calling the UPP's majority into question.[3] However, on 24 October the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court overturned the High Court's decision and decided that the three MPs were duly elected.[4]

References

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  1. ^ "Chamber of Commerce questions Antigua's voters list". Caribbean 360. 9 March 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2009.
  2. ^ Ramjeet, Oscar (9 March 2009). "Three-member Commonwealth team in Antigua-Barbuda to observe elections". Caribbean Net News. Retrieved 9 March 2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ Antigua and Barbuda General Election Results - 12 March 2009 Caribbean Elections
  4. ^ 33. Antigua & Barbuda (1981-present) University of Central Arksansas