1979 Belizean general election

General elections were held in Belize on 21 November 1979.[1] The result was a victory for the ruling People's United Party, which won 13 of the 18 seats. Voter turnout was 89.9%.[1][2]

1979 Belizean general election
21 November 1979
All 18 seats in the House of Representatives
Turnout89.78%
  First party Second party
  George Cadle Price
UDP
Leader George Cadle Price Dean Lindo
Party PUP UDP
Leader since 1956 1974
Leader's seat Freetown Fort George (lost seat)
Last election 12 seats 6 seats
Seats won 13 5
Seat change Increase1 Decrease1
Popular vote 23,309 21,045
Percentage 52.4% 47.4%
Swing Decrease 0.26 Increase 8.47
Popular vote by constituency. As Belize uses the FPTP electoral system, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each constituency
Premier before election

George Cadle Price
PUP

 Elected Premier

George Cadle Price
PUP

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Background

The PUP went into the election with a 13–5 majority, having picked up a seat after the previous election when Toledo District Area Rep. Vicente Choco crossed the floor from the opposition United Democratic Party in 1975.[3] The election results confirmed that 13-5 majority.

In 1979, Belizeans were concerned about their progress toward independence and the Guatemalan claim to the colony. The UDP were not in favour of advancing on the former issue without a substantial settlement of the latter, and this led the PUP to turn the election into a sort of referendum on that question. By their turnout (a record high) and their support for the PUP, Belizeans made clear their preferences and set in motion the chain of events that would lead to independence in 1981.

Results
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's United Party23,30952.4413+1
United Democratic Party21,04547.355–1
Toledo Progressive Party960.220New
Total44,450100.00180
Valid votes44,45098.84
Invalid/blank votes5211.16
Total votes44,971100.00
Registered voters/turnout50,09189.78
Source: Nohlen

References
  1. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p104 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. General Elections 1979 Archived 13 May 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
  3. Ramos, Adele. "Bombshell: Mahmud resigns!", Amandala, 25 November 2014. (accessed 4 December 2014)


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