General elections were held in Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island nation lying between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. It consists of two major inhabited islands, Antigua and Barbuda, and a number of smaller islands...

 on 8 March 1994. They were won by the governing Antigua Labour Party

Antigua Labour Party

The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...

, under the leadership of Lester Bird

Lester Bird

Lester Bryant Bird was the second Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda from 1994 to 2004 and a well-known athlete. He was chairman of the Antigua Labour Party from 1971 to 1993, then became Prime Minister when his father, Vere Bird, the previous Prime Minister, resigned.Bird was born on February...

. Bird had been appointed leader of the ALP before the election, after his father and predecessor Vere Bird

Vere Bird

Sir Vere Cornwall Bird Sr. was the first Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. His son, Lester Bryant Bird, succeeded him as Prime Minister. In 1994 he was declared a national hero....

 announced his intention to retire. Lester Bird became Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda after the general election. Voter turnout was 62.3%. This was the first election contested by the United Progressive Party

United Progressive Party (Antigua and Barbuda)

The United Progressive Party is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It is led by Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and has the majority of seats in the Antiguan House of Representatives.-Foundation:...

, under future Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer

Baldwin Spencer

Winston Baldwin Spencer is the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda. He has been Prime Minister since March 24, 2004, when his party, the United Progressive Party , which he had led as the opposition party for several years, won a parliamentary election...

.

The elections were described as neither free nor fair, as they were marred by several problems, including failing to guarantee a secret ballot

Secret ballot

The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...

, a deficient registration process open to abuse, and the inflation of the voter registry by 25% with the names of deceased people or emigrants.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/-
Antigua Labour Party Antigua Labour Party The Antigua Labour Party is the former ruling political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It has long been led by Lester Bird, who was chairman of the party since 1971, and became Prime Minister and political leader in 1994. The party was founded by Lester's father, V.C. Bird...	14,763	54.4	11
United Progressive Party United Progressive Party (Antigua and Barbuda) The United Progressive Party is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda. It is led by Baldwin Spencer, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, and has the majority of seats in the Antiguan House of Representatives.-Foundation:...	11,852	43.7	5	New
Barbuda People's Movement Barbuda People's Movement The Barbuda People's Movement is a political party in Antigua and Barbuda allied with the ruling United Progressive Party.-History:The party first contested a general election in 1989, in which they won a single seat. They held the seat in the 1994 and 1999. In the 2004 elections the candidates of...	367	1.3	1	0
WACS	11	0.1	0	New
Independents	123	0.4	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	147
Total	27,263	100	17	0
Source: Nohlen