Independent writer
Born Here, Raised Here, but Still Unable to Vote: Is this a Conundrum for TCI Electorate?
By Ed Forbes
The Turks and Caicos Islands faces a growing demographic and democratic question that can no longer be ignored: What happens to young people born and raised here who reach adulthood without qualifying for Turks and Caicos Islander Status, and what does this mean for our country’s future?
This is not simply an immigration issue. It concerns population growth, national identity, political representation and the future
Consider a young person born in TCI, educated in our schools, raised in our communities and now working, paying taxes and contributing to the economy. At 18, that person may hold British Overseas Territories Citizenship (BOTC) but still lack Islander Status and, consequently, the eligibility required to register as an elector.
Section 55 of the Turks and Caicos Islands Constitution Order 2011 establishes the qualifications for voter registration, including the requirement to be a Turks and Caicos Islander. Being born here, growing up here or holding BOTC citizenship does not automatically satisfy that requirement.
Of course, birth in the Islands does not automatically confer Islander Status. The law provides different routes based on parental status, nationality, residence and other qualifying circumstances. We must respect those laws while asking whether they adequately address the realities of a population that has changed considerably over the past two decades.
The numbers make this discussion increasingly urgent.
According to Government population estimates, the TCI population grew from approximately 33,500 in 2011 to 47,674 in 2022. The Government’s 2025 projection placed it at approximately 52,299. That represents projected growth of roughly 56 per cent between 2011 and 2025.
Published demographic information has also suggested that fewer than one in four residents holds Islander Status. A separate comparison of the 2022 population estimate and the 2023 registered-elector list placed registered electors at approximately 19 per cent of the population.
These figures measure different things and come from different years. They should not be confused with the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast ballots. Nevertheless, they raise an important question: How will our electorate evolve as the population continues to grow?
We should not assume that every non-Islander resident is eligible for status, or that everyone without status was born here. Equally, we cannot ignore young people who may have spent their entire lives in these Islands yet remain outside the electorate because they cannot satisfy the existing requirements.
This situation did not begin yesterday. Children born here 15 or 20 years ago are now adults. Some may qualify under existing provisions but need assistance navigating the application process. Others may have no available route under current legislation. We need reliable figures to understand the scale of each group.
With the next general election roughly two and a half years away, the time to act is now.
The Government should not wait until an election is approaching to discover how many people may qualify to register, how many remain
I propose that the Government work with the Islander Status Commission, immigration authorities and the Elections Department to conduct a comprehensive review of TCI-born adults who do not hold Islander Status. The review should establish how many qualify under existing provisions, how many have been refused or cannot apply, and the specific legal barriers involved.
Where a lawful pathway already exists, the Government should make it clear and accessible. Where genuine gaps remain, it should consult the public on whether a defined pathway should be established for qualifying individuals born, educated and lawfully raised here, with appropriate safeguards.
This is not a call to grant status indiscriminately or disregard immigration controls. It is a call to examine the consequences of our existing framework and determine whether it serves the long-term interests of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Let’s face it, a growing migrant population, an ageing Islander community and successive generations of young people whose electoral eligibility may be restricted present questions that deserve serious, evidence-based consideration.
We cannot change the past, but we can decide whether to confront this issue today or leave it for another generation. I strongly believe, voting eligibility is more than a right; it is a pathway to inclusion and a stake in our country’s future.
The question is no longer whether this deserves public discussion. It is whether we are prepared to begin in time to make informed decisions before the next election and beyond.
The clock is ticking. Let us establish the facts, examine the law and find a fair, lawful and sustainable way forward.