Dominica: Roseau North by-election sees steady turnout as polling gets underway

Dominica: Voting in the Roseau North by-election progressed smoothly on Monday, September 7, 2026, as residents across the constituency turned out to choose their next Parliamentary Representative.

Polling began at 7:00 am across 27 polling stations with local news channel reporting from several locations including Goodwill Primary School, Dominica State College, the community centre in Fond Cole and the Dominica Red Cross headquarters.

Early activity at Goodwill Primary School was described as strong with several voters seen waiting to cast their ballots soon after polls opened.

Across other locations, voters continued to arrive steadily throughout the morning and several residents cast their ballots before heading to work or returning home.

At Fond Cole, residents described the atmosphere as calm and peaceful, with elderly voters among those who came out early to participate in the electoral process.

One voter said he was assisting elderly residents and others who needed help getting to the polling station before casting his own ballot.

First-time voter joins electoral process

The by-election also saw first-time voters participating in the democratic process.

Brian Alexander, who voted for the first time, said he initially felt nervous but was happy after successfully casting his ballot.

Another elderly voter interviewed by DBS said he had been participating in elections since 1965 and once again came out to exercise his right to vote.

Police pleased with peaceful process

Police officials monitoring the constituency said the election was proceeding peacefully.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Alan Maxim said the process was running smoothly and that no serious incidents had been reported during the morning. He encouraged voters to continue exercising their constitutional right in a peaceful and orderly manner.

Police Chief Lincoln Corbett also described the process as quiet and orderly and said that voters were able to exercise their franchise freely.

He encouraged residents to continue following electoral regulations throughout the remainder of polling day.

Tony Astaphan describes smooth voting experience

Senior Counsel Tony Astaphan was among those who cast their ballots at the Dominica Red Cross headquarters in Goodwill. Astaphan said the voting process was straightforward and that he completed it in around five minutes.

He noted that his voter information had already been confirmed and said he encountered no difficulty while casting his ballot.

Astaphan described the by-election as important and said he was pleased to have participated.

Candidates active across Roseau North

All three candidates were also seen moving around the constituency during polling day.

Dominica Labour Party candidate Ashma McDougall, United Workers Party candidate Daniel “Danny” Lugay and independent candidate Sherman Boston were observed visiting different polling areas and engaging with the process.

Lugay described the turnout as encouraging and said that participation appeared strong for a by-election.

Boston also said he believed more people were coming out to vote compared to the 2022 election.

McDougall had also expressed confidence in her campaign ahead of polling day.