Tristan da Cunha Island Council


The Tristan da Cunha Island Council is the legislature of the island of Tristan da Cunha in the Atlantic Ocean. The composition of the Island Council consists of the Administrator of Tristan da Cunha as the presiding officer, plus three appointed and eight elected members. At least one elected member of the council must be a woman.

Electoral system

The 12-member Island Council consists of the Administrator as President, three appointed members and eight elected members, who are elected by plurality-at-large voting. At least one elected member of the council must be a woman. If there are no women among the eight candidates that receive the most votes, only the top seven male candidates are declared elected, alongside the woman that received the highest number of votes. If there are no female candidates, a by-election is held for the eighth seat, in which only female candidates can stand.
The Chief Islander is elected on a separate ballot by first-past-the-post voting, and must also be elected to the Island Council to be eligible to become Chief Islander.

Council members

2016 elections

On 9 March 2016, with a turnout of 83%, the following eight Councillors were elected to the Tristan da Cunha Island Council for the 2016 to 2019 legislative term:
In addition, the three additional Councillors, who were appointed to the Island Council by Administrator of Tristan da Cunha, Alex Mitham, are:

2007–10

In 2007, the following were elected to serve on the Island Council: Lorraine Repetto, Conrad Glass, Robin Repetto, Dereck Charles Rogers, Ian Lavarello, James Patrick Glass, Iris Green, Lillie Carlene Swain, Lorraine Repetto, Conrad Glass, Robin Repetto, Dereck Charles Rogers, Ian Lavarello, James Patrick Glass, Iris Green, Lillie Carlene Swain. The following were co-opted by Administrator : Harold Green, Anne Green, Lewis Green. The turnout at the election was 56.2%, markedly lower than in previous years.

2010–13

In 2010, all the council posts were uncontested. The following candidates were therefore returned without election: Ian Lavarello, Robin Repetto, Marion Green, Beverley Repetto, Dereck Rogers, James Glass, Lorraine Repetto, Iris Green, Dawn Repetto, Conrad Glass, and Anne Green.

2013–16

As with 2010, there were eight nominations for the eight places on the Island Council so an election was not held and all candidates were automatically returned. Apart from Ian Lavarello, all the new councillors had not served before. The returned candidates were: Leon Glass, Warren Glass, Joanne Green, Ian Lavarello, Gerald Repetto, Beverley Swain, Emma Swain, Neil Swain. Additionally, the Administrator co-opted Iris Green, Conrad Glass and Lorraine Repetto.

Chief Islanders

Voters can choose on a separate list councillors candidates who are also candidates for being Chief Islander, and the candidate with the most votes become Tristan da Cunha's Chief Islander. The following were elected to the post for the years indicated: