At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Trinidad and Tobago

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President George Maxwell RICHARDS *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Patrick MANNING
• Assembly: Trinidad and Tobago has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate with 31 seats and the Hose of Representatives with 41 seats.

* The office of president is a largely ceremonial one. The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college consisting of all members of both houses of parliament.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by an electoral college to serve a 5-year term.
• In the Senate, 16 members are appointed by the ruling party to serve 5-year terms, 9 members are appointed by the president to serve 5-year terms and 6 members are appointed by the opposition to serve 5-year terms. In the Hose of Representatives 41 members are elected by majority vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• George Maxwell RICHARDS
  Independent(s): N/A

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 1,315,372 (2008)
• Registered Voters: N/A

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 663,961 (2008)

·         Is Trinidad and Tobago a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (27 June 1985)

·         Has Trinidad and Tobago ratified CEDAW: Yes (12 January 1990)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 11 (House of Representatives) following the 2007 elections

·         Human Development Index Position: 64 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Trinidad and Tobago a signatory to CRPD: Yes (27 September 2007)

·         Has Trinidad and Tobago ratified CRPD: Yes (25 June 2015)

·         Population with a disability: 197,305 (est.)