On this day, Thursday, March 19, 2026, the Electoral Reform Coalition (ERC) reflects on the events of one year ago when citizens of Dominica attempted to stand outside Parliament to protest the government’s electoral reform bills. The “Standing up for Democracy” protest on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, saw unarmed citizens voicing their strong opposition to the bills, which were debated and subsequently passed into law by Parliament.
The protestors hoped that Parliament would heed the many recommendations provided by the ERC, various civil society organizations, and the respected Sir Dennis Byron. Sir Byron, who was engaged and compensated to review Dominica’s electoral laws, submitted a comprehensive proposal and draft legislation aimed at modernizing the electoral system to ensure free and fair elections in the country. These recommendations were the culmination of years of advocacy for meaningful electoral reform.
However, the ERC notes with disappointment that the Electoral Commission, government, and Parliament largely ignored these sensible recommendations. This disregard, in the view of the ERC, suggested a concerted effort by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and the Electoral Commission to pass the legislation without these critical reforms, ultimately favoring the Dominica Labour Party and undermining the will of the people to confirm their names on the
voters register.
Additionally, it appeared that Prime Minister Skerrit and National Security Minister Rayburn Blackmore directed the police to arrest and charge twenty-five law-abiding citizens under the outdated Riot Act of 1897. Some of these individuals were detained overnight and continue to face unresolved court proceedings a year later. The ERC emphasizes that justice delayed is justice denied, as these citizens are repeatedly brought before the courts without resolution.
Despite recent concerns about the professionalism and independence of the Electoral Commission, the ERC acknowledges the Chief Elections Officer’s announcement allowing citizens to use a Dominica-issued birth certificate with an endorsed passport-sized photo to confirm and register to vote. This measure provides an alternative for voter registration and is seen as a positive step.
Nevertheless, the ERC expresses serious concern and disappointment over the Electoral Commission’s unilateral suspension of continuous voter registration, which violated the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica, in addition to section 17 (1) of the registration of electors act # 1 of 2025 which denied many eligible citizens—especially young people—their right to register for an entire year.
While the ERC welcomes the resumption of new voter registration as of March 9, 2026, it believes that there is insufficient public outreach to encourage existing voters to confirm their status and to motivate new voters to register. The ERC maintains that after years of dialogue and the passage of electoral reform bills, the Electoral Commission should have been better prepared to implement the confirmation process effectively, rather than engaging in partisan conduct that undermines Dominica’s democratic tradition.
The ERC calls upon the Electoral Commission and the Chief Elections Officer to take immediate and effective action to facilitate a smoother voter confirmation and registration process. Free, fair, and transparent general elections are essential to Dominica’s democracy, and all citizens deserve nothing less.
Johnson Boston
Chairman
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