Elections in Antigua and Barbuda take place in the framework of a parliamentary democracy.
[3] The first elections held under this system resulted in a victory for the Antigua Labour Party, which won all eight seats.
The ALP dominated Antiguan politics, winning every seat in elections held in 1956, 1960 and 1965.
[4] Although they were defeated by the Progressive Labour Movement in 1971, the party regained power in 1976 (despite receiving fewer votes than the PLM) and remained the ruling party until 2004 under the leadership of Vere Bird and later his son, Lester Bird.
[7] The Commission was set up in 2001 and the ALP's second period of dominance ended with defeat by the United Progressive Party in the 2004 elections.