2017 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 2017 was held on Thursday 9 November 2017[1] to elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly (five from the Stanley constituency and three from the Camp constituency) through universal suffrage using block voting, with each Stanley constituent having up to 5 votes and each Camp constituent having up to 3 votes. Voter turnout was 80% in Stanley and 86% in Camp.[2]

2017 Falkland Islands general election
9 November 2017 (2017-11-09)
All 8 members to the legislative assembly
5 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party
 
Party Nonpartisan
Seats won 8
Winning and losing candidates by constituency.
Politics of the Falkland Islands
Constitution
The Crown
Government
Legislature
Judiciary
Elections
Other

It was the third election since the new Constitution came into force replacing the Legislative Council (which had existed since 1845) with the Legislative Assembly. As no political parties are active in the Falklands, all the candidates stood as Independents. Incumbent members Jan Cheek, Michael Poole, Phyllis Rendell and Mike Summers did not put their names forward for reelection.[3] Only three members of the previous assembly won reelection, with Ian Hansen being the only incumbent member to increase his percentage of the vote.[2]

Campaign

Under section 32 of the Constitution of the Falkland Islands, a general election did not need to take place until 19 January 2018. However, in August 2017 the Legislative Assembly announced that an early general election was being planned for 9 November 2017 (almost exactly four years after the previous general election of 2013).[1] The closing date for voter registration and applications for postal and proxy votes was noon FKST on 19 October 2017 and the deadline for nomination as a candidate in the election was 16:15 FKST on 20 October 2017.[1]

As well as attending hustings, each candidate gave a fifteen-minute televised interview to former member of the Legislative Assembly, Richard Cockwell, which was broadcast on the Falkland Islands Television Service.[4]

Results

Incumbent members are in italics.

Stanley constituency
Stanley[2]
List Candidates Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Roger Kenneth Spink 651 14.98 N/A
Nonpartisan Leona Lucila Vidal Roberts 559 12.86 N/A
Nonpartisan Mark John Pollard 534 12.29 N/A
Nonpartisan Stacy John Bragger 476 10.95 N/A
Nonpartisan Barry Elsby 404 9.30 -9.50
Nonpartisan Gavin Phillip Short 382 8.79 -8.98
Nonpartisan David Patrick Peck 376 8.65 N/A
Nonpartisan Corina Rose Ashbridge 259 5.96 N/A
Nonpartisan Louise Ellis 232 5.34 N/A
Nonpartisan John Birmingham 221 5.09 -0.91
Nonpartisan Jason Lewis 97 2.23 N/A
Nonpartisan Marvin Thomas Clarke 90 2.07 N/A
Nonpartisan Carole Lynda Jane Buckland 65 1.50 N/A
Turnout 4346 80 +4.6

Camp constituency
Camp[2]
List Candidates Votes % ±
Nonpartisan Ian Hansen 149 27.29 +8.18
Nonpartisan Teslyn Siobhan Barkman 139 25.46 N/A[nb 1]
Nonpartisan Roger Anthony Edwards 130 23.81 -0.19
Nonpartisan Benjamin William Cockwell 128 23.44 N/A
Turnout 546 86 +0.8

Notes
  1. Barkman unsuccessfully stood for the Stanley constituency at the 2013 election.

References
  1. "Falklands' preparations and registration for November 9 General Election". MercoPress. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  2. "Falkland Islands Elects New Legislative Assembly". MercoPress. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  3. "17 candidates finally declare". Penguin News. 23 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
  4. General Election 2017: Meet the Candidates playlist on YouTube
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