Porsha Stubbs-Smith

Stubbs-Smith was elected to the Turks and Caicos Islands House of Assembly at the 2012 general election in The Bight constituency for the Progressive National Party.^[1] Initially, she was Minister for Environment and Home Affairs, before becoming Minister of Health and Human Services. As Minister of Tourism, Environment, Heritage and Culture,^[2] she led a delegation to the United Kingdom in 2016.^[3]

She stood once again at the 2016 general election.^[4] Stubbs-Smith was re-elected, but the result was challenged by George Pratt of the People's Democratic Movement as she was elected after several recounts resulted in a draw. The decision came down to placing the names of both Stubbs-Smith and Pratt in a box and drawing the victor, with Stubbs-Smith therefore being counted as the victor by a single vote. Pratt's challenge was on the basis of a single Turks and Caicos Islander being unable to vote as they found their name was not on the electoral roll when she attended the Polling Station. Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale dismissed the challenge and upheld the decision.^[5]