2013 Barbadian general election

General elections were held in Barbados on 21 February 2013. They were the first post-independence elections where the election date was announced five years after the last general election.[1] The ruling Democratic Labour Party was re-elected with a reduced majority, winning 16 of the 30 seats in the House of Assembly.[2]

2013 Barbadian general election
21 February 2013
30 seats in the House of Assembly
16 seats needed for a majority
Turnout62.02% (Decrease1.52%)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Freundel Stuart Owen Arthur
Party DLP BLP
Leader since 23 October 2010 18 October 2010
Leader's seat St. Michael South St. Peter
Last election 20 seats, 52.5% 10 seats, 47.1%
Seats won 16 14
Seat change Decrease4 Increase4
Popular vote 78,851 74,121
Percentage 51.3% 48.2%
Swing Decrease1.2% Increase1.1%
Results by constituency
Prime Minister before election

Freundel Stuart
DLP

 Elected Prime Minister

Freundel Stuart
DLP

Politics of Barbados
Constitution
  • Human rights
Executive
Legislature
Judiciary
Elections
Administrative divisions
Foreign relations
Historical

Background

According to the Constitution of Barbados, elections must take place no longer than every five years from the first sitting of Parliament.[3] The last general election was held on 15 January 2008, while the first sitting of the current session of Parliament was held on 12 February 2008.[4] After the dissolution of Parliament, the Governor-General of Barbados, on behalf of the Crown in Right of Barbados, must issue a writ for a general election for members to the House of Assembly and for appointment of Senators to the Senate within 90 days.[5]

The election and nomination dates were announced by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart on 29 January 2013. The nomination deadline for candidates to register was scheduled for 6 February 2013.[6][7][8][9]

Results
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Labour Party78,85151.3016–4
Barbados Labour Party74,12148.2214+4
People's Democratic Congress890.0600
Bajan Free Party500.030New
Kingdom Government of Barbados390.030New
Independents5520.3600
Total153,702100.00300
Valid votes153,70299.52
Invalid/blank votes7410.48
Total votes154,443100.00
Registered voters/turnout249,02462.02
Source: Caribbean Elections

See also

References
  1. Bradshaw, Maria (30 January 2013). "Experts: PM's timing curious". Nation Newspaper. Retrieved 30 January 2013. "We knew that the Constitution and the law allowed him to call it after the five years had passed since the last election but it was the practice in Barbados and most of the Commonwealth that you would call the elections before the anniversary of the last election date.
  2. "Barbados: parliamentary elections House of Representatives, 2013". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  3. Constitution: Section 61 (3): "Subject to the provisions of subsection (4), Parliament, unless sooner dissolved, shall continue for five years from the date of its first sitting after any dissolution and shall then stand dissolved. (4) At any time when Barbados is at war, Parliament may extend the period of five years specified in subsection (3) for not more than twelve months at a time:"
  4. Stuart’s dilemma The Daily Nation
  5. Constitution: Section 62 (1) (2): "After every dissolution of Parliament the Governor General shall issue writs for a general election of members of the House of Assembly returnable within ninety days from that dissolution. (2) As soon as may be after every general election the Governor General shall proceed under section 36 to the appointment of Senators."
  6. "Barbados to elect new government on February 21". Caribbean News Agency (CANA). Archived from the original on 2013-02-15. Retrieved 2013-01-29.
  7. Shawn Cumberbatch; Donna Sealy (30 January 2013). "PM rings election bell". Barbados Today. Retrieved 30 January 2013. Election officials got the ball rolling tonight when they were dispatched island wide to post notices of the February 21 polling and Nomination Day, which will be next Wednesday. Here officers Haskell Drakes and Everton Henry paste a notice on the door of the District "A" Police Station.
  8. Editorial (30 January 2013). "The bell has been rung". The Barbados Advocate. Archived from the original on 15 February 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2013. The date for the next General Election has been set. Barbadians will be heading to the polls on Thursday, February 21 to cast their votes. Nomination day is next week Wednesday.
  9. "Election day is February 21". The Daily Nation. Retrieved 30 January 2013.


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