1985 Guyanese general election explained

Country:Guyana
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:1980 Guyanese general election
Previous Year:1980
Next Election:1992 Guyanese general election
Next Year:1992
Majority Seats:27
Election Date:9 December 1985
Turnout:73.83%
Image1:Desmond_Hoyte.jpg
Leader1:Desmond Hoyte
Party1:People's National Congress (Guyana)
Leader Since1:6 August 1985
Popular Vote1:228,718
Percentage1:78.54%
Seats1:42
Seat Change1:1
Swing1:0.88pp
Leader2:Cheddi Jagan
Leader Since2:1 January 1950
Party2:People's Progressive Party (Guyana)
Seats2:8
Popular Vote2:45,926
Seat Change2:2
Percentage2:15.77%
Swing2:3.69pp
Image3:3x4.svg
Leader3:Marcellus Fielden Singh
Leader Since3:January 1969
Party3:The United Force
Seats3:2
Popular Vote3:9,820
Percentage3:3.37%
Swing3:0.49pp
Map Size:250px
President
Posttitle:Elected President
Before Election:Desmond Hoyte
Before Party:PNC
After Election:Desmond Hoyte
After Party:PNC

General elections were held in Guyana on 9 December 1985.[1] The result was a victory for the People's National Congress, which won 42 of the 53 directly-elected seats. However, the elections were marred by fraud and the People's Progressive Party and Working People's Alliance withdrew on election day.[2] Voter turnout was 73.8%.[1]

Electoral system

The National Assembly had 65 members; 53 elected by proportional representation in a nationwide constituency, 10 appointed by the Regional Councils elected on the same date as the national members, and 2 appointed by the National Congress of Local Democratic Organs, an umbrella body representing the regional councils.[3]

The President was elected by a first-past-the-post double simultaneous vote system, whereby each list nominated a presidential candidate and the candidate heading the list that received the most votes was elected president.

Notes and References

  1. [Dieter Nohlen]
  2. Nohlen, p367
  3. https://www.jstor.org/stable/43111061 "Guyana's new Constitution and the elections of 1980: A case of people's power?", Rajendra Chandisingh