GAIL ALEXAN­DER

To­day’s elec­tion is op­er­at­ing with re­cent bound­ary changes, ad­di­tion of two new seats and name changes in 12 seats, with­in four UNC-held cor­po­ra­tion ar­eas and three PNM cor­po­ra­tions. Changes af­fect ar­eas in­clud­ing mar­gin­als Siparia and San­gre Grande, plus San Juan/Barataria, Cou­va, Pe­nal-Debe, San Fer­nan­do and Ch­agua­nas.

In the No­vem­ber 28, 2016 LG poll, there were 317 can­di­dates en­com­pass­ing eight par­ties and four In­de­pen­dents con­test­ing the 137 seats.

Then, the PNM won 83 seats with 174,754 votes in sev­en cor­po­ra­tions. UNC won 54 seats with 180,758 votes - the pop­u­lar vote. Both tied in San­gre Grande where PNM even­tu­al­ly took con­trol. Oth­er con­tes­tants failed to se­cure any­thing.

Per­sad-Bisses­sar’s pre­vi­ous PP ad­min­is­tra­tion won 2010 gen­er­al polls and Ju­ly 2010 LG elec­tions. But PP lost 2013 Lo­cal Gov­ern­ment polls, the St Joseph and Ch­agua­nas West elec­tions and 2014 THA polls, plus 2015 Gen­er­al Elec­tions.

Per­sad-Bisses­sar presided over a mod­est­ly im­proved UNC show­ing in 2016 LG polls. In the 2018 by-elec­tions for PNM-held Bel­mont East and Barataria, UNC al­so took Barataria.

PNM’s Row­ley lead­er­ship won the 2015 gen­er­al elec­tions and won 2016 LG polls. But PNM lost ground and two seats in 2017 THA polls and lost Barataria in 2018 though re­tain­ing Bel­mont West.

To­day’s re­spec­tive “ground game” and elec­torate turnout will dic­tate the out­come and who pulls ahead.

PNM lead­er­ship will fol­low re­sults from their Bal­isi­er House PoS head­quar­ters. Op­po­si­tion lead­er­ship will be at Cou­va South Hall.

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