Voter ID replacement passes 25,000 as some constituencies lag behind

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua — More than 25,000 voter ID replacement applications have been processed across Antigua and Barbuda since the start of the exercise, according to the latest figures from the Antigua and Barbuda Electoral Commission, with progress varying widely across constituencies.

The Commission’s official report shows a cumulative total of 25,372 applications, with activity accelerating in recent months. March recorded a significant uptick with 4,168 applications, compared with 508 in February and 355 in January.

For April so far, 2,021 applications have been recorded, including 944 submissions during the week of April 5–11.

Data broken down by constituency shows that while some areas are nearing completion, others remain below the halfway mark.

St. Peter leads the country with 83% completion, followed by Barbuda (74%) and St. Philip North (73%). St. Philip South has reached 61%, while All Saints West stands at 55%.

In contrast, several constituencies in St. John’s continue to trail. St. John’s Rural West is at 46%, St. John’s Rural South at 47%, and St. John’s City East at 48%. St. Mary’s North has the lowest completion rate at 44%.

The figures also show that St. John’s Rural West has processed the highest number of applications overall, with 2,063, followed by St. Peter (2,370) and St. George (2,359).

Weekly activity during the April 5–11 period was concentrated on April 7, when 944 applications were recorded. No activity was reported on Easter Sunday or Easter Monday.

The Commission’s data reflects ongoing efforts to replace expired voter identification cards ahead of the next general election, with thousands of eligible voters still yet to complete the process.

Officials have repeatedly warned that delays in updating voter ID cards could impact participation, particularly if there is a surge in last-minute applications.