In 2009, the year before the election, chief minister Osbourne Fleming, who was also the leader of the Anguilla United Front, announced that he would not stand for re-election in the 2010 race. Two other members of the ruling AUF also announced their intent to retire as well – Parliamentary Secretary Albert Hughes and Communications and Works MinisterKenneth Harrigan. Collectively, Fleming, Hughes and Harrigan had been active in Anguillan politics for more than 80 years. It was announced that Finance MinisterVictor Banks would succeed Fleming as the party leader of the AUF coalition. According to the Constitution of Anguilla, the general election was due to be held by March 2010. However, the election could have been postponed until as late as May or June 2010. On Monday, 4 January 2010, the last day of the current Assembly, the leader of government business held talks with the Governor of Anguilla, Alistair Harrison, concerning the dissolution of the legislative body to pave the way for new elections. That same day, Chief Minister Fleming told the Assembly that he felt that the previous five years of AUF in Anguilla had been a success, "The people elected us for five years and five years it would be, that was my commitment that was my pledge." Retiring Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming officially set 15 February 2010, as the date for the election during a public meeting of the ruling Anguilla United Front in Blowing Point held on 5 January 2010. In his announcement, Fleming told supporters, "Tonight, I take great pleasure in advising you that by the help of God, because we don't know what could happen, elections in Anguilla will be on the 15th of February 2010." Colville Petty, the supervisor of elections, reported that 8,652 voters were registered to vote in the seven electoral districts on the island. That marked an increase in voter registration from the 2005 general election, when 7,558 people registered to vote. Electoral District Four, which includes parts of The Valley, the capital of Anguilla, had the largest number of registered voters in the 2010 election, with a total of 1,789.
Candidates
Twenty candidates registered to contest the seven Assembly seats in the election. The nomination papers for all candidates were due on Thursday, 21 January 2010.
The Anguilla United Front, the ruling coalition which controlled the majority of the seven seats in the Assembly since the 2005 election, fielded candidates in all seven constituencies. The AUF was the only political party which had a candidate in all seven races. The AUF will be led by Finance Minister Victor Banks, who replaced the retiring Osbourne Fleming as leader of the party.
The opposition Anguilla United Movement contested five constituencies. The party was headed by former Chief Minister Hubert Hughes.
The opposition Anguilla Progressive Party also had candidates in five of the seven races. The APP was headed by Brent Davis, an Anguillan businessman.
Three independents also ran as candidates for seats in the Assembly.
