1925 Trinidad and Tobago general election

General election in Trinidad and Tobago October 2020 General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago for the first time on 7 February 1925.George John (1991) 50 Years of the Ballot, Trinidad Express Newspapers, p7 Background The Legislative Council had been established in 1831, but was a fully nominated body. In July 1921, San Fernando Borough Council called a public meeting at Carnegie Library, the result of which was a unanimous request for elected representation. Similar demands subsequently came from Arima and Port of Spain. Within a few years, the British authorities agreed to a partly elected legislative council, although with voting limited to a restricted franchise. Electoral system The reorganised Legislative Council had 12 official members (civil servants), six nominated members, seven elected members and the Governor, who served as the legislature's speaker. The seven elected members were elected from single-member constituencies. The franchise was limited to people who owned property in their constituency with a rateable value of $60 (or owned property elsewhere with a rateable value of $48) and tenants or lodgers who paid the same sums in rent. The voting age was 21 for men and 30 for women, and all voters were required to understand spoken English. Anyone who had received poor relief within the most recent six months before election day was disqualified from voting.John, p8 Only 6% of the population were eligible to vote. The restrictions on candidates were more severe, with candidature limited to men that lived in their constituency, were literate in English, and owned property worth at least $12,000 or from which they received at least $960 in rent a year. For candidates who had not lived in their constituency for at least a year, the property values were doubled. Results Voter turnout was around 29%, with two constituencies having only one candidate. Three of the seven elected members – Arthur Andrew Cipriani, Charles Henry Pierre and Albert Victory Stollmeyer – were supported by the Trinidad Workingmens' Association,Jerome Teelucksingh (2014) Labour and the Decolonization Struggle in Trinidad and Tobago, pp180–181 as was the losing candidate in Tobago, Isaac Hope.Teelucksingh, p106 ConstituencyCandidateVotesNotesCaroni CountySarran Teelucksingh491ElectedE.A. Robinson235Eastern CountiesCharles Henry Pierre–Elected unopposedPort of SpainArthur Andrew Cipriani2,557ElectedRandolph Rust910Gaston Johnson378Saint George CountyAlbert Victor Stollmeyer707ElectedA. Cory Davies206Saint Patrick CountyErnest Radcliffe Clarke314ElectedA.A. Sobrian269TobagoJames Alexander Biggart ElectedIsaac Hope Victoria CountyThomas Meade Kelshall–Elected unopposedSource: Teelucksingh Appointed members PositionMemberGovernorHorace ByattCollector of CustomsThomas Robert CutlerColonial SecretaryThomas Alexander Vans BestActing Colonial SecretaryRobert Howard FurnessDirector of AgricultureWilliam George FreemanDirector of EducationGeorge MackayDirector of Public WorksMatthew Alexander MurphyGeneral Manager of RailwaysJohn PowterInspector General of ConstabularyGeorge Hebert MayProtector of ImmigrantsArnauld Henry William De BoissiereActing Solicitor-GeneralWalter HarraginSurgeon-GeneralKenrick Stanton WiseTreasurerHenry Barclay WalcottNominated membersHenry AlcazarAlbert Bonus CarrAlexander FrazerGeorge Frederick HugginsArthur Hutton McShineLennox O'ReillySource: Teelucksingh, SkinnerT. Skinner (1926) West Indies and Caribbean Year Book, p163 References Trinidad General Category:Elections in Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad