Next Belizean general election

Next Belizean general election
Belize
On or before 21 June 2017
All 31 seats in the Belize House of Representatives
 
PUP
Leader Dean Barrow Francis Fonseca
Party UDP PUP
Leader since 30 August 1998 3 November 2011
Leader's seat Queen's Square Freetown
Last election 17 seats 14 seats
Current seats 18 seats 13 seats
Seats needed Steady Increase3
Incumbent Prime Minister

Dean Barrow
UDP
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Belize

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The next Belizean general election will elect members of the Belize House of Representatives. The election will be called following the dissolution or expiry of the current National Assembly. It must be held on or before 21 June 2017.

Date

The last general election was held on 7 March 2012, and the current National Assembly opened on 21 March 2012. According to Section 84 of the Constitution of Belize, the National Assembly must be dissolved "five years from the date when the two Houses of the former National Assembly first met" unless dissolved sooner by the Governor-General of Belize upon the advice of the prime minister.[1] A general election must be called within three months of a dissolution, which means the latest possible date for the next Belizean general election is 21 June 2017.

Background

The ruling United Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Dean Barrow will attempt to win a third consecutive election for the first time in its history. The UDP won the 2012 election with a considerably smaller majority than it enjoyed after the 2008 election.[2]

The UDP currently holds eight of the 10 constituencies in Belize City, by far the country's largest city. Continued dominance in Belize City is key to future UDP success. Meanwhile the opposition People's United Party will seek to maintain its edge in the rural districts. Gains in the Toledo, Stann Creek and Orange Walk Districts more than made up for the PUP's net loss in Belize City in 2012.[3]

Third parties traditionally perform poorly in Belize, with no third party running independently finishing with more than one percent of the vote nationwide since 1984.

January 2015 Cayo North by-election

The Cayo North constituency held a by-election on 5 January 2015 to elect a successor to PUP Area Rep. Joseph Mahmud, who unexpectedly resigned in November 2014.[4] Mahmud had previously indicated he was standing down.[5]

The by-election was only the third in Belize since independence, and the first since a by-election in Cayo South in October 2003.[6] Candidate nominations closed on 15 December 2014 with PUP nominee Richard Harrison and UDP nominee Omar Figueroa qualifying. No third party candidates appeared on the ballot.[7] Figueroa won the by-election by a nearly 2-to-1 margin, increasing the UDP's overall majority in the Belize House.[8]

March 2015 municipal elections

Municipal elections held on 4 March 2015 resulted in a decisive UDP victory, with the governing party easily re-electing Belize City Mayor Darrell Bradley and retaining control of the Belize City Council. The UDP also defeated PUP-controlled local governments in Dangriga and Punta Gorda. The PUP prevailed in only one municipality nationwide, Orange Walk Town.[9][10]

Barrow ruled out the possibility of a snap election later in 2015 despite his party's successes.[11]

Area Representatives standing down

UDP

  1. Santino Castillo (Caribbean Shores), announced 15 April 2015.[12]
  2. Herman R. Longsworth (Albert), announced 25 March 2015.[13]
  3. Elvin Penner (Cayo North East), deselected 8 June 2014.[14]

PUP

  1. Marco Tulio Mendez (Orange Walk East), announced 11 November 2014.[15]

References

  1. ↑ Belize / Belice: Constitution 1981, Political Database of the Americas. (accessed 9 October 2014)
  2. ↑ Britell, Alexander (8 March 2012), "Belize’s UDP Wins Narrow Re-election; Opposition Gains Eight Seats", Caribbean Journal
  3. ↑ Belize election maps, Psephos - Adam Carr's Election Archive. (accessed 20 November 2014)
  4. ↑ "Parliamentarian Resigns; Bi-election to be held in Cayo North on January 5th", The San Pedro Sun, 25 November 2014. (accessed 26 November 2014)
  5. ↑ "Hon. Mahmud Is Out For Real", Tropical Vision Limited, 23 October 2014. (accessed 20 November 2014)
  6. ↑ Result of By-election 2003, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 26 November 2014)
  7. ↑ REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE ACT CHAPTER 9 NOTICE THAT A POLL WILL BE TAKEN The Electoral Division of CAYO NORTH], Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 December 2014)
  8. ↑ "Dr Omar Figueroa elected as new Area Rep for Cayo North", The San Pedro Sun, 6 January 2015. (accessed 6 January 2015)
  9. ↑ "U.D.P. Sweeps 2015 Municipal Elections: Darrell Bradley Re-elected to City Hall", Great Belize Television, 5 March 2015. (accessed 16 March 2015)
  10. ↑ Ramos, Adele. "UDP fiesta!", Amandala, 6 March 2015. (accessed 16 March 2015)
  11. ↑ "Hon. Barrow Pleased, Avoids Gloating", Tropical Vision Limited, 5 March 2015. (accessed 16 March 2015)
  12. ↑ Humes, Aaron. "Santino Castillo hands over to Darrell Bradley in Caribbean Shores", Breaking Belize News, 16 April 2015. (accessed 22 April 2015)
  13. ↑ "Tracy Taegar Panton is New UDP Standard Bearer for Albert", The Guardian, 26 March 2015. (accessed 31 March 2015)
  14. ↑ Jones, Patrick E. "New standard bearer for the UDP in Cayo Northeast", Breaking Belize News, 8 June 2014. (accessed 21 November 2014)
  15. ↑ Humes, Aaron. "PUP Orange Walk East area rep. steps down for health reasons", Breaking Belize News, 11 November 2014. (accessed 23 November 2014)