Jamaica’s 2025 Elections: Everything You Need to Know 

Jamaica: Today, September 3, 2025, marks a defining day for Jamaica as voters head to the polls to elect a new government for the next five years, which may lead to an end of decade long governance by ruling Jamaica Labour Party.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness seeks a third consecutive term in office, while the People’s National Party led by Mark Golding aims to return to office.

The 2025 Jamaica Elections will be covered live by Associates Times, offering a full day coverage from voting updates to results and analysis of early trends. While these elections have a crucial role to play in Jamaica’s democracy, voters also need to take care of certain precautions while they head to cast their votes at their nearest polling stations.

Polling Details

• Date: Wednesday, 3 September 2025

• Voting Time: 7:00 am – 5:00 pm (anyone in line by 5:00 pm may still vote)

• Eligibility: Jamaican citizens 18+, plus Commonwealth citizens resident 12+ months

• ID required: Voter ID card preferred; passport or driver’s license accepted. (If the voter id card is not available you can still vote with statuary declaration and an oath.)

Polling Stations

• Total: 7,294 stations Islandwide

• Organization: By 14 parishes, 63 constituencies, and polling divisions

Full Stations List here.

Major Parties contesting the Jamaica 2025 Elections

• Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) – Andrew Holness, 63 candidates

• People’s National Party (PNP) – Mark Golding, 63 candidates

• Other parties: JPP, UIC + independents

• Total candidates: 190 (184 parliamentary + 6 by-elections)

Election Day Guidelines

• No campaigning (no banners, flags, loudspeakers) within 100 yards of polling stations. Mobile phones are also banned inside voting booths.

• No Chaos: Only those in the queue to vote are allowed near the entrance.

• No influence: Attempts to sway voters near polling areas can result in arrest.

• No alcohol distribution or gifts during polling.

• Voting violations: Multiple voting, impersonation, or interference are criminal offenses with serious consequences.

Jamaica’s Election Observers

Domestic Observers

• CAFFE (Citizens Action for Free & Fair Elections): Jamaica’s long-standing civil society watchdog.

• Will have volunteers deployed in constituencies to watch the opening of polls, ballot handling, closing procedures, and counting.

• Known for issuing quick statements on voter turnout trends and election day conduct.

CARICOM Election Observation Mission (CEOM)

• 10 members.

• Head: Fern Narcis-Scope, Chief Election Officer of Trinidad and Tobago.

• Composition: Senior election officials, political analysts, and legal experts drawn from CARICOM states.

• Observes polling stations across multiple parishes and assess fair, and transparent elections in compliance with Jamaica’s Representation of the People Act.

• Will release a preliminary report within 48 hours of the vote and a final report after results are certified.

OAS Electoral Observation Mission (EOM)

• 23 experts from 16 OAS member states.

• Head: Dr. Kenny Anthony, former Prime Minister of Saint Lucia.

Other International Partners

• United Kingdom High Commission: Monitoring with a small diplomatic observer team.

• United States Embassy: Deploying staff to select polling stations.

• European Union Delegation: Representatives present for spot checks.

What Happens Next?

As the polls close at 5:00 pm, counting of the ballots will begin. Preliminary results are expected later tonight with the new government likely to be in place by week’s end. Jamaicans may see JLP’s third consecutive term or a change in direction with Golding taking the charge.