Presidential Election, 27 November 2025

On 1 July 2024, hurricane Beryl, a category 4 storm, made landfall in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, causing the deaths of five people. The hurricane damaged about 90% of the houses on Union Island. The Prime Minister of the country stated that Union Island's infrastructure was severely damaged, leaving residents no access to essential services, including hospitals, airports, and schools (Global Shelter Cluster, 2024).

Impact on the electoral process  

Due to the devastating amount of damage, residents in some parts of the country, including Southern Grenadines, had to move to temporary shelters while rebuilding efforts were underway. This displacement raised significant concerns regarding affected residents’ ability to participate in the Presidential Election, to be held on 27 November 2025, particularly with respect to voter registration and access to polling.  

According to the supervisor of the elections, misinformation circulated among the public, misleading voters about their eligibility to register and cast ballots with unexpected relocation. In particular, the supervisor referenced a public statement made by the opposition party leader claiming that individuals from Grenadines who had been relocated would be unable to vote (Searchlight,2025). The Supervisor clarified that this information was inaccurate and emphasized that all eligible voters would retain the right to register and participate in the election. 

To address the challenges faced by displaced populations, the electoral authorities have introduced special arrangements to facilitate voter registration in affected areas, including Union Island. Further, the Supervisor assured the public that registration activities would be conducted once necessary transportation and logistical arrangements were in place, underscoring the commitment to ensure inclusive and equitable electoral participation despite the ongoing recover efforts after the hurricane (Searchlight, 2025) 

This was confirmed by the government as it announced a special 15-day registration period for the eligible voters starting from 13 October to 13 November 2025 (Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,2025) Further, the electoral offices published registration schedules for constituencies including the Southern Grenadines stating the availability of support to register elderly or special needs upon request. 

In addition to the Election Commission, the political parties were also paying attention to the matter. For example, one of the candidates of the presidential election for the Central Leeward party said that the party held a meeting with the supervisor of elections regarding voters' concerns of registration and stressed that the party would also ensure people in the Southern Grenadines would be able to vote despite of displacement and or relocation matters (St.Vincent Times, 2025).

Author: Amali Thanthrige