1962 Grenadian general election explained

Country:Grenada
Type:parliamentary
Flag Year:1903
Previous Election:1961 Grenadian general election
Previous Year:1961
Next Election:1967 Grenadian general election
Next Year:1967
Seats For Election:10 of the 13 seats in the Legislative Council
Majority Seats:6
Election Date:13 September 1962
Image1:Herbert_Blaize_1986_(profile).jpg
Leader1:Herbert Blaize
Party1:GNP
Last Election1:26.67%, 2 seats
Seats1:6
Seat Change1:4
Popular Vote1:11.341
Percentage1:53.73%
Swing1:27.06pp
Leader2:Eric Gairy
Party2:GULP
Last Election2:53.35%, 8 seats
Seats2:4
Seat Change2:4
Popular Vote2:9.705
Percentage2:45.98%
Swing2:7.37pp
Chief Minister
Before Election:James Lloyd
Before Party:(Administrator)
After Election:Herbert Blaize
After Party:GNP

General elections were held in Grenada on 13 September 1962.[1] Herbert Blaize's Grenada National Party won six of the ten elected seats and Blaize was appointed Chief Minister for the second time. Blaize served as Head of Government until the next general election in August 1967, initially as Chief Minister until March 1967, and subsequently when Grenada became a fully internally autonomous Associated State, as Grenada's first Premier. Voter turnout was 73%.[2]

Background

Grenada's Administrator, the Queens representative on the island, James Lloyd suspended the constitution, dissolved the Legislative Council, and removed Eric Gairy as Chief Minister in April 1962 following allegations concerning the Gairy's financial impropriety. Gairy had been Chief Minister for 10 months since August 1961 and his party the Grenada United Labour Party held a majority in the Legislative Council following the 1961 elections.[3] [4] The negative publicity surrounding the removal of Gairy led to a significant fall in support for GULP.

Electoral system

The Legislative Council consisted of ten elected members, the principal law officer (ex officio) and two nominated members.[5]

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. Nohlen, p310
  3. http://www.thegrenadarevolutiononline.com/blaizeha.html Herbert Augustus Blaize
  4. Steele, BA (2003) Grenada. A History of its People p360
  5. Book: Grenada: Report for the Year. 51 . 1957 .