| Country: | Sint Maarten |
| Election Date: | 19 August 2024 |
| Previous Election: | January 2024 |
| Seats For Election: | All 15 seats in Parliament |
| Majority Seats: | 8 |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Party1: | National Alliance (Sint Maarten) |
| Leader1: | Silveria Jacobs |
| Last Election1: | 4 |
| Percentage1: | 16.53 |
| Seats1: | 3 |
| Party2: | URSM |
| Leader2: | Luc Mercelina |
| Last Election2: | 2 |
| Color2: |
|
| Percentage2: | 16.28 |
| Seats2: | 3 |
| Party3: | Democratic Party Sint Maarten |
| Leader3: | Sarah Wescot-Williams |
| Last Election3: | 2 |
| Percentage3: | 15.11 |
| Seats3: | 3 |
| Last Election4: | 3 |
| Percentage4: | 14.88 |
| Seats4: | 2 |
| Leader5: | Melissa Gumbs |
| Last Election5: | 2 |
| Percentage5: | 14.18 |
| Seats5: | 2 |
| Party6: | SAM |
| Leader6: | Franklin Meyers |
| Last Election6: | New |
| Color6: |
|
| Percentage6: | 9.12 |
| Seats6: | 1 |
| Party7: | NOW |
| Leader7: | Christophe Emmanuel |
| Last Election7: | 2 |
| Color7: |
|
| Percentage7: | 9.09 |
| Seats7: | 1 |
| Prime Minister | |
| Before Party: | USRM |
Snap general elections were held in Sint Maarten on 19 August 2024,[1] following the early dissolution of the parliament elected in January.[2]
Following the January 2024 general elections a four-party government was formed by the Unified Resilient St. Maarten Movement (URSM), the Democratic Party, the Party for Progress and Nation Opportunity Wealth (NOW), all of which had won two seats.[3] As the URSM received the most votes of the four, its leader Luc Mercelina became Prime Minister.[4] Elected members took office on 10 February 2024,[5] and Mercelina took the oath of office on 3 May.[6] However, the government collapsed 18 days later when NOW MP Kevin Maingrette resigned from his party and left the coalition to join the opposition. This crossing the floor cost the coalition its majority, leading Mercelina to dissolve parliament and call snap elections.[7] However, on 27 May, Maingrette withdrew his support for the opposition and expressed support for the Mercelina administration again despite still sitting as an independent.[8] However, the elections remained scheduled.[9] On 2 July, Maingrette announced he would not seek re-election,[10] and on 12 July was arrested and his house scheduled to be searched following possible involvement in bribery prior to his time as an MP.[11] [12] [13]
Per the Constitution of Sint Maarten, the number of members in the Estates is determined by the following scale, dependent on the population:
As the population was estimated to be 41,349 as of 1 January 2024,[14] the number of mandates to be contested in this election is 15. The members are elected by open list proportional representation (first using the Hare quota then D'Hondt method for any seats still unallocated) for a four-year term, with the first session of the new parliament usually held on the second Tuesday of September.[15] [16] The voting age is 18, and candidates standing must be a resident of the island, a Dutch national, 18 years of age or older, and must not have been disqualified from voting. Elected members may not stay outside the country for more than eight months, or their mandate lapses, and must not be the spouse or a second-degree relative of another member. In order to participate in the election, new parties and parties without a seat in parliament are required to obtain at least 144 signatures; 1% of the valid votes of the prior elections (in this case the January 2024 general elections).[17]
Theoretically, the original coalition formed following the election in January between the URSM, DP, PFP, and NOW would still have enough seats for a majority (obtaining 9 in total, an increase of 1 over the previous election) if they wished to continue under the prior agreement.