MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

St Helena General Election scheduled for 03 September 2025; 12 LegCo seats at stake

Governor Nigel Phillips CBE

The British Overseas Territory of St Helena is holding a General Election on Wednesday 03 September 2025. Following discussions with Chief Minister Julie Thomas, Governor Nigel Phillips CBE has agreed, at the Chief Minister’s request, that the St Helena Legislative Council be dissolved on Monday 30 June, and election scheduled for next September.

Section 76 (b) of The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order, 2009, as amended in 2021, requires the Governor to dissolve Council “at the expiration of four years from the date when Council first meets after any dissolution, unless it has been sooner dissolved.”

On 25 October this year will denote four years since the Inaugural Meeting of the current St Helena Legislative Council took place following the October 2021 General Election; this means that 25 October 2025 is the last day that Council may be dissolved to enable a General Election to go ahead.

Publicity regarding the General Election and information about how the ministerial system of Government operates will follow in the weeks leading up to the dissolution of Council.

In the meantime, it is important to remember that if you wish to participate in this year’s General Election, either by sponsoring a candidate, nominating a candidate, casting a vote or standing for election, your name must be included in the Register of Electors (Register).

Amendments can be made to the Register, effective from 1 July 2024, at any time. However, the cut-off date by which to make any amendments prior to the publication of the 2025 Register will be mid-May. There will be no further opportunities beyond this date to have names included in the Register before the General Election takes place.

If you wish to add your name to the Register, you can do so between now and mid-May by completing the necessary Form A.

Eligible persons who are ordinarily resident on St Helena but absent in connection with employment, education or training (for themselves/their spouse/their life partner) or for the purposes of medical treatment (for themselves/their spouse/ their life partner/a dependent) and have not been absent from St Helena for a continuous period of 30 months or for periods exceeding in aggregate 625 days in the preceding months may also apply to have their name included in the Register by completing Form B.

Both Forms A and B are accessible on the SHG website at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/government/public-information/elections/ and can also be obtained from the Public Library, the Castle Reception or the Customer Services Centre.

Both Forms A and B are accessible on SHG website, and can also be obtained from the Public Library, the Castle Reception or the Customer Services Centre.

Further information on how to complete the forms can be obtained from the Registration Officer, Carol Henry, plus Assistant Registration Officers, Anita Legg, Connie Johnson and Gillian Francis at the Castle, Jamestown.

St. Helena is ruled by a unicameral legislature known as the Legislative Council of St. Helena, which includes the BOT of Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.

The Legislative Council consists of 15 members: 12 elected members who serve a four-year term and are elected by popular vote; a Speaker and Deputy Speaker, chosen by the elected members; and one ex officio member, the Attorney General. Members of the Council use the suffix “MLC” (Member of the Legislative Council), and are sometimes referred to as Councilors.