2011 Guyanese general election explained

Country:Guyana
Type:parliamentary
Previous Election:2006 Guyanese general election
Previous Year:2006
Next Election:2015 Guyanese general election
Next Year:2015
Seats For Election:All 65 seats in the National Assembly
Majority Seats:33
Election Date:28 November 2011
Image1:Donald Ramotar.png
Candidate1:Donald Ramotar
Party1:People's Progressive Party/Civic
Last Election1:54.67%, 36 seats
Seats1:32
Seat Change1:4
Popular Vote1:166,340
Percentage1:48.60%
Swing1:6.07pp
Candidate2:David A. Granger
Colour2:24BB04
Party2:APNU
Last Election2:
(PNCR only)
Seats2:26
Seat Change2:3
Popular Vote2:139,678
Percentage2:40.81%
Swing2:6.74pp
Image3:Khemraj Ramjattan (cropped).jpg
Colour3:FFA500
Party3:AFC
Last Election3:8.43%, 5 seats
Seats3:7
Seat Change3:2
Popular Vote3:35,333
Percentage3:10.32%
Swing3:1.89pp
President
Posttitle:Elected President
Before Election:Bharrat Jagdeo
Before Party:PPP/C
After Election:Donald Ramotar
After Party:PPP/C

General elections were held in Guyana on 28 November 2011.[1] The result was a victory for the People's Progressive Party/Civic, which won 32 of the 65 seats.[2] Thus even though the combined parliamentary opposition, consisting of the A Partnership for National Unity coalition (APNU) and the Alliance for Change (AFC), managed to secure an absolute majority of 33 seats, as they had not run as a single list it was Donald Ramotar of the PPP/C (the largest single party) who assumed the presidency, and not David A. Granger of the PNCR (which heads the opposition).

Electoral system

The 65 members of the National Assembly were elected by closed list proportional representation in two groups; 25 members were elected from the 10 electoral districts based on the regions, and 40 elected from a single nationwide constituency.[3] Seats were allocated using the Hare quota.

The President was elected by a first-past-the-post double simultaneous vote system, whereby each list nominated a presidential candidate and the presidential election itself was won by the candidate of the list having a plurality.

Presidential candidates

The ruling People's Progressive Party/Civic nominated Donald Ramotar, the party's general secretary and advisor to outgoing President Bharrat Jagdeo.[2] A Partnership for National Unity (an alliance of the People's National Congress Reform, the Guyana Action Party and the Working People's Alliance)[4] nominated David A. Granger, a former commander of the Guyana Defence Force. The Alliance for Change did not join the APNU, and opted to run alone, fielding party leader Khemraj Ramjattan as its presidential candidate. The United Force nominated Peter Persaud as its presidential candidates following a leadership dispute.

Police protection

Election day was declared a national holiday and troops patrolled the streets in order to prevent violence as had happened in previous elections.

Results

By region

RegionAPNUPPP/CAFCTUFHare
quota
Total
votes
Total
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%SeatsVotes%Seats Votes%
Barima-Waini88717.0613,47266.77178615.120551.062,6005,2002
Pomeroon-Supenaam3,28718.28012,55569.8322,08611.600510.288,99017,9792
Essequibo Islands-West Demerara14,02827.58133,42465.7123,3436.570700.1416,95550,8653
Demerara-Mahaica84,82854.20460,85138.88310,6356.7902010.1322,359156,5157
Mahaica-Berbice8,90634.83113,55853.0213,07912.040290.1112,78625,5722
East Berbice-Corentyne10,79819.68032,36058.97211,63421.201830.1518,29254,8753
Cuyuni-Mazaruni2,84348.9512,37640.9115058.690841.452,9045,8082
Potaro-Siparuni73928.75074128.83099538.721953.702,5702,5701
Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo2,00427.5704,13556.89194613.0201832.527,2687,2681
Upper Demerara-Berbice11,35872.8822,86818.4001,3248.500340.227,79215,5842
National Assembly top up139,67840.8116166,34048.601935,33310.3258850.265,265342,23665
align=left colspan=20Source: GECOM Guyana Election Law

Aftermath

The PPP/C won for the fifth straight time, but with a minority government. PPP/C candidate Donald Ramotar was elected President, but the opposition parties won a majority in the National Assembly.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Opposition parties warn GECOM about pitfalls of re-opening registration . 13 July 2011 . . 3 August 2011.
  2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-15980149 Guyana governing party's Donald Ramotar wins election
  3. http://caribbeanelections.com/eDocs/election_reports/gy/GY_COG_2011.pdf Report of the Commonwealth Observer Group - GUYANA NATIONAL AND REGIONAL ELECTIONS, 28 November 2011
  4. http://www.apnuguyana.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=184&Itemid=26 About APNU