1961 British Honduras general election explained

Country:British Honduras
Flag Year:1961
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Turnout:79.50%
Previous Election:1957 British Honduras general election
Previous Year:1957
Next Election:1965 British Honduras general election
Next Year:1965
Seats For Election:All 18 seats in the Legislative Assembly
Election Date:26 March 1961
Leader1:George Cadle Price
Leader Since1:1956
Party1:People's United Party
Leaders Seat1:Freetown
Last Election1:9 seats
Seats1:18
Seat Change1: 9
Popular Vote1:13,975
Percentage1:64.67%
Swing1: 3.35
First Minister
Before Election:George Cadle Price
After Election:George Cadle Price
Before Party:People's United Party
After Party:People's United Party

General elections were held in British Honduras on 26 March 1961. They were the first following a constitutional review, which had increased the number of elected seats from 9 to 18, whilst a further five members would be appointed by the Governor and two would be officials.[1] The result was a victory for the ruling People's United Party, which won all 18 seats.[2]

The National Independence Party, founded in 1958 by a merger of the two previous major opposition parties, the Honduran Independence Party and the National Party, contested general elections for the first time in 1961. A third party formed by former PUP and NP members, the Christian Democratic Party, also fielded candidates. Both parties failed to win seats.

Results

By division

DivisionElectorateTurnout%Political partyCandidateVotes%
Albert2,4242,05884.9People's United PartyFrederick Westby42.8
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyNicholas Pollard37.9
bgcolor=National Independence PartyFloss Casasola18.7
Belize Rural North1,4061,04174.0People's United PartyFred Hunter62.2
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyArthur Wade25.4
bgcolor=National Independence PartyMarcelo Casasola10.3
Belize Rural South1,05278174.2People's United PartyLouis Sylvestre81.3
bgcolor=National Independence PartyTodd Brown15.6
Cayo North1,2921,04280.7People's United PartyHector Silva70.5
bgcolor=National Independence PartyManuel Figueroa27.0
Cayo South1,17496281.9People's United PartySantiago Perdomo61.3
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyEduardo Espat30.0
bgcolor=National Independence PartyPedro Mena5.8
Collet2,7062,16880.1People's United PartyAlbert Cattouse44.6
bgcolor=National Independence PartyEdward Flowers43.9
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyMervin Hulse9.3
Corozal North1,4731,14177.5People's United PartySantiago Ricalde79.9
bgcolor=National Independence PartyGualberto Martinez18.1
Corozal South1,48095664.6People's United PartyJesus Ken85.7
bgcolor=National Independence PartyVictor Greenwood10.5
Fort George1,4221,22586.1People's United PartyAlexander Hunter60.2
bgcolor=National Independence PartyHerbert Fuller28.5
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyDenbigh Jeffery10.8
Freetown1,8501,62587.8People's United PartyGeorge Cadle Price67.1
bgcolor=National Independence PartySabino Savery24.8
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyErenst Cain7.6
Mesopotamia2,5011,99379.7People's United PartyC. L. B. Rogers62.4
bgcolor=National Independence PartyErlean Casasola28.4
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyEdward Usher8.6
Orange Walk North1,3771,08979.1People's United PartyVictor Orellana57.6
bgcolor=National Independence PartyEloy Escalante40.7
Orange Walk South92668073.4People's United PartyGuadalupe Pech81.4
bgcolor=National Independence PartyIgnacio Vega14.4
Pickstock1,6801,41884.4People's United PartyGwendolyn Lizarraga68.6
bgcolor=National Independence PartyJaime Staines16.3
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyClare Gill13.3
bgcolor=IndependentRobert Taylor0.7
bgcolor=IndependentJames Ysaguirre0.4
Stann Creek Rural1,8561,34372.4People's United PartyDavid McKoy72.3
bgcolor=National Independence PartyHarry Stanley23.7
Stann Creek Town1,8161,49382.2People's United PartyAllan Arthurs52.3
bgcolor=National Independence PartyPaul Guerrero44.2
Toledo North54737468.4People's United PartyFaustino Zuniga55.6
bgcolor=National Independence PartyCharles Westby42.2
Toledo South94173277.8People's United PartySam Vernon48.0
bgcolor=National Independence PartyFrancis Martinez39.5
bgcolor=Christian Democratic PartyAlan Woodeye11.5

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. http://elections.gov.bz/uploads/pubdownloads/upload_files/wfd_139586867253334400a0699--1961.pdf General Elections 1961