Dominica Requests External Support for Electoral Reform Process

Barbara 7th May, 2026

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The Government of Dominica has formally requested technical assistance from regional and international organisations to support the implementation of the country’s voter confirmation process and the rollout of voter identification cards.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit made the announcement during a press conference, stating that assistance has been requested from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and CARICOM.

According to the Prime Minister, the move follows concerns regarding the pace of implementation of key electoral reform measures introduced under legislation passed in March 2025.

“In respect to confirmation of voter registration and voter ID cards, the government has formally requested technical assistance from key international and regional partners to support the effective implementation of the country’s most critical electoral reforms,” Skerrit stated.

The reforms focus on two major objectives: confirming the accuracy of the voters list and introducing voter identification cards aimed at strengthening verification procedures and reducing the risk of electoral fraud.

Skerrit revealed that between October 15, 2025 and April 30, 2026, the Electoral Office reviewed 16,573 applications related to voter confirmation. However, while over 13,000 applications were submitted during the first six weeks of the confirmation period, only 6,592 applications, approximately 40 percent, had been approved by the end of April.

“This means that 9,981 voters who have applied for confirmation for their registration have not been confirmed,” he said.

The Prime Minister also noted that none of the confirmed voters have yet received identification cards, explaining that the Electoral Office is expected to begin issuing the cards within the next six to eight weeks.

Government officials maintain that the reforms are intended to modernize the electoral system while improving transparency and public confidence in the voting process.