Close to 10,000 eligible members of the People’s National Movement (PNM) in Tobago are expected to go to the polls Sunday to select a new executive to manage the party's operations on the island.
Thirteen well equipped polling stations throughout the island open from 8 am and a favourable voter turnout is anticipated.
Speaking with Guardian Media, Chairman of the Elections Supervisory Committee Alvin Pascall said they are ready
"All I could say is that we are ready, as much as ready could be. Our polling officers are at this moment collecting their gears to go to the respective polling stations, so the answer is yes, we are as ready as best could be."
Polling stations are scheduled to close at 6 pm, he said, and results should start coming in by 7:30 on election night
"Once polling stations close there's a period for counting, so I would say by about half seven or 8'o clock you should be able to see smaller polling stations coming in and surety by 8'clock, half eight or so, there should be a total count of votes," he said.
Pascall said he was hoping for a smooth election process. He also urged party members to vote, but act respectfully and responsibly while engaging in their civic duty.
"We don't have anything in place. We are hoping there's no queries and that this thing go as smooth as ever, but if something happens I'm sure we will be able to deal with almost any eventualities.
"Just go out and vote, vote for the persons who you choose to vote for and we as a committee did our best to ensure the election is held and it is done in a free and fair way."
The four people contesting the leadership of the Tobago Council are: incumbent leader and chief secretary Kelvin Charles; deputy chief secretary Joel Jack; T&T's Ambassador to Costa Rica Tracy Davidson-Celestine; and former THA presiding officer Dr Denise Tsoi-a-fatt-Angus. All have expressed confidence.
The past month of campaigning garnered a high interest from both PNM supporters and non supporters, all anticipating the outcome, since it is widely expected that the person elected as council leader is most likely to become chief secretary if the PNM regains power after the 2021 THA Elections.
The tone of the campaign was one similar to a THA or general election with several radio, television and newspaper ads, as well as full colour billboards, flyers, walkabouts, political meetings and campaign songs. There was a high presence of social media marketing, with many sponsored advertisements and Live Facebook broadcasts of political events.
While there are 17 positions on the executive of the PNM Tobago Council being contested, Charles is the only candidate with a full slate, and is looking to make a clean sweep.
Davidson-Celestine, who lost to Charles in a run-off vote in 2016, is just one person short of a full slate, after dropping former THA Assemblyman Handel Beckles from her slate as Welfare Officer.
Jack and Tsoi-a-fatt-Angus are contesting the position of political leader independently.
Jack has been targeting the youth within the party.
Both Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley and former THA Chief Secretary and The High Commissioner to London Orville London are both in Tobago for the highly anticipated and publicised elections.
In 2016, the internal elections saw a voter turnout of approximately 40 per cent. A voter turnout of 60 per cent has been forecast for this year. In the instance that none of the candidates receive 50 plus one per cent of the votes, a run-off election will be conducted on January 26.