Eligible voters in St Helena have spoken after weeks of campaigning. voters on St Helena went to the polls on Wednesday, 3 September 2025, to elect twelve representatives to form the Island’s second Ministerial Government.
A total of 1,151 votes were cast during the General Election, of which 1,147 were valid representing around 56% of voters. This was slightly lower than the 60% turnout in 2021, the figure still reflects what St Helena Government (SHG) described as the community’s “continuing commitment…to St Helena’s democratic process.”
Polling stations opened at 10am and closed at 7pm before ballot boxes were transported to the Court House in Jamestown. Counting began around 10pm and continued through the night, with Returning Officer Carol Henry overseeing the process as she has done many times before until the early hours of Thursday, 4 September.
After many hours of tallying, the official results were announced. The twelve candidates elected to the new Legislative Council were:
- Rebecca Cairns-Wicks (823 votes)
- Andrew Turner (761 votes)
- Corinda Essex (730 votes)
- Karl Thrower (650 votes)
- Dennis Leo (644 votes)
- Derek Thomas (629 votes)
- Gillian Brooks (543 votes)
- Martin Henry (541 votes)
- Robert Midwinter (441 votes)
- Clint Beard (407 votes)
- Julie Thomas (403 votes)
- Ronald Coleman (389 votes)
The reminder of the candidates not elected.
- Mark Alan Brookes (352)
- Anthony Arthur “Tony” Green (333)
- Derek Pedley (326)
- Jeffrey Robert Ellick (326)
- Cruyff Gerard Buckley (314)
- Colin Douglas Bargo (309)
- Melissa Kim Fowler (306)
- Cyril Kenneth Leo (217)
- Elizabeth “Betty” Knipe (174)
- Kevin Adrian “Bonzo” Thomas (128)
- Patrick Arthur “Pat” Williams (59)
The twelve elected will serve on the Legislative Council for a four-year term, tasked with guiding St Helena’s political and social development.
The night’s results followed a campaign season in which 23 candidates were nominated for a possible a seat, engaging voters around the island.
As ever, Jamestown’s ballot box was the first to arrive at the Court House, while Longwood’s was the last.
Observers Monitored the process in this year’s election this was observed by a seven-member delegation from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), led by Head of Mission Gary Clueit, a member of the Isle of Man’s historic Tynwald Parliament.
The team arrived on the island in late August to monitor compliance with St Helena’s electoral laws and procedures. While international standards were considered, the mission focused primarily on local legislation. It was the second time the CPA has observed a St Helena election, following its remote assessment in 2021.
Mr Clueit expressed confidence in the fairness and integrity of the process, and even suggested that St Helena could benefit from pursuing UNESCO Biosphere Reserve designation, similar to the Isle of Man a status that has helped attract “high worth” visitors to his home nation.
Looking Ahead and with the new Legislative Council now in place, the island can look forward to a four-year term that many hopes will bring progress, stability, and opportunities for St Helena.
As one observer remarked, the 2025 General Election once again demonstrated the island’s strong democratic spirit.