IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Trinidad and Tobago

Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

1,403,943
Population (as of July 31, 2021)

1,134,135
Registered Voters (as of None)

64.71%
Average Turnout

9
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.755
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: June 27, 1985
Ratified Date: Jan. 12, 1990

SIGI* Score: 25.3
Level of Discrimination: Low
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: Sept. 27, 2007
Ratified Date: June 25, 2015

HDI* Score: 0.807
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Trinidad and Tobago Senate		Upper House
Tobago House of Assembly	None	Assembly
Trinidad and Tobago Presidency	None	Head of State
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives		Lower House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Christine Carla KANGALOO (since 19 March 2018)*
Head of Government: Prime Minister Stuart YOUNG (since 17 March 2025) **
Assembly: Trinidad and Tobago has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate with 31 seats and the House of Representatives with 41 seats.

* The President is elected by indirect vote by an electoral college consisting of ten senators, the Speaker, and twelve members of the House of Representatives.

** The president usually appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives

Description of electoral system:

The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college to serve a 5-year term.
Prime Minister is appointed by the President to serve a 5-year term.
In the Senate, 16 members are appointed by the ruling party to serve 5-year terms, 6 members are appointed by the opposition to serve 5-year terms and 9 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms. In the House of Representatives, 41 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Elections

2025-04-28 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes -
Registered -
Turnout -

2021-01-25 | Status: Held
Tobago House of Assembly
Votes 658,297
Registered 1,134,135
Turnout 58.04

2020-08-10 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 658,677
Registered 1,134,135
Turnout 58.08

2015-09-07 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 734,792
Registered 1,099,279
Turnout 66.84

2010-05-24 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 726,801
Registered 1,040,128
Turnout 69.88

2007-11-05 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 653,882
Registered 990,352
Turnout 66.03

2002-10-07 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 608,830
Registered 875,260
Turnout 69.56

2001-12-10 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 561,993
Registered 849,874
Turnout 66.13

2000-12-11 | Status: Held
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives
Votes 597,525
Registered 946,689
Turnout 63.12

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2025-04-28	Held	-	-	-
Tobago House of Assembly	2021-01-25	Held	658,297	1,134,135	58.04
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2020-08-10	Held	658,677	1,134,135	58.08
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2015-09-07	Held	734,792	1,099,279	66.84
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2010-05-24	Held	726,801	1,040,128	69.88
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2007-11-05	Held	653,882	990,352	66.03
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2002-10-07	Held	608,830	875,260	69.56
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2001-12-10	Held	561,993	849,874	66.13
Trinidad and Tobago House of Representatives	2000-12-11	Held	597,525	946,689	63.12

Voter Turnout

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