2012 Jamaican local elections

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2012 Jamaican Local Government elections were held on 26 March 2012 in Jamaica.[1] Directly elected were 228 divisional councillors and the mayor of the municipality of Portmore. Each of the 13 parish councils and parish capital mayoral positions were allocated to a political party. The election was contested mainly between Jamaica's two major political parties, the Portia Simpson-Miller-led People's National Party (PNP), the opposition, and the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), which currently forms Jamaica's government.

Councillor candidates are nominated by political parties in the electoral divisions and are voted on and directly elected by the electorate. The mayor of Portmore is also directly elected. Control of the parish councils depends on the party which controls the majority of the divisions within the parish. The post of mayor of the capital town of the parish is awarded to the party which controls the parish council. The party will then appoint one of its councillors in the parish to be mayor of the town. In the case that neither party holds a majority in a parish council, an elected independent or third party candidate will make the decision of which of the tied political parties should be awarded the mayorship of the capital of the parish. In the case that no independent or third party candidates were elected, the mayorship will be dependent on which party received the higher popular vote in the parish.

Background[]

With local government elections constitutionally due every three years, these elections were due on 5 December 2010.[2][3] The elections were delayed several times before finally being called by the newly elected PNP government.

These elections followed the 2011 general elections in which the PNP was returned to governance.

Results[]

The People's National Party secured a landslide victory by winning 151 divisions to the Jamaica Labour Party's 75, in addition to the mayorship of Portmore.[4] The results saw the PNP holding majorities in 12 of the 13 parish councils, with the 13th council, Trelawny, being tied by the two major political parties with one elected independent candidate. It was decided by the independent candidate that the mayorship of Falmouth, the capital of Trelawny, would be awarded to the PNP with the JLP receiving the deputy mayor position.

Councillor election[]

Parish councils[]

2012 Jamaican local government election
← 2007 26 March 2012 2016 →
228 Jamaican electoral divisions
13 Parish Councils/Municipal Councils
  First party Second party Third party
 
Party PNP JLP Independent
Last election 0%
Seats before 0
Seats won 151 75 2
Seat change Increase2
Popular vote 318,097 245,717 4,047
Percentage 55.99% 43.25% .71%
Swing Increase8.47% Decrease9.42% Increase0.61%

The party which controls each of the 13 parish councils and appoints a mayor for the capital of the parish is the party which wins the majority of divisions in the parish. In the case that neither party holds a majority in a parish council, an elected independent or third party candidate will make the decision of which of the tied political parties should be awarded the mayorship of the capital of the parish. In the case that no independent or third party candidates were elected, the mayorship will be dependent on which party received the higher popular vote in the parish.

Summary of the 26 March 2012 Jamaican parish council election results
Parish Councils PNP JLP Other Mayorship Deputy Mayorship
Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation 26 14 0 PNP PNP
St. Catherine 15 14 0 PNP PNP
St. Thomas 7 3 0 PNP PNP
Portland 5 4 0 PNP PNP
St. Mary 8 5 0 PNP PNP
St. Ann 11 5 0 PNP PNP
Trelawny 4 4 1 PNP JLP
St. James 13 4 0 PNP PNP
Hanover 5 1 1 PNP PNP
Clarendon 12 10 0 PNP PNP
Manchester 11 4 0 PNP PNP
St. Elizabeth 9 6 0 PNP PNP
Westmoreland 14 0 0 PNP PNP
Total 151 75 2 13
(PNP: 13)
(JLP: 0) 		13
(PNP: 12)
(JLP: 1)
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
Summary of the 26 March 2012 Jamaican local government election results.
Parties Votes % +/– Electoral
divisions 		+/– Parish
councils[5] 		+/– Mayoral
positions 		+/–
People's National Party 318,097 55.99 +8.47 151 +57 12 +9 13 +10
Jamaica Labour Party 245,717 43.25 –9.42 75 –58 0 -9 0 -10
Marcus Garvey People's Progressive Party 280 0.05 0 NEW 0 NEW 0 NEW
Independents 4,047 0.71 +0.61 2 +2 0 ±0 0 ±0
Invalid/blank votes – – – – – – – –
Total (turnout 34.5%) 568,141 100   228 +1 13 ±0 13 ±0
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Portmore mayoral election[]

Portmore Municipal Council Election, 2012
← 2007 26 March 2013 2016 →
All 12 seats in the Portmore Municipal Council
7 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader George Lee Keith Hinds Alrick Davis
Party PNP JLP Independent
Last election 41.7% 58.3% 0%
Seats before 5 6 0
Seats won 11 1 0
Seat change Increase6 Decrease6 -
Popular vote 15, 011 8, 287 216
Percentage 63.84% 35.24% .71%
Swing Increase15.15 Decrease16.07 Increase0.71%

The Mayor of Portmore is the chairman of the Portmore Municipal Council, the legislative body for the city. The Mayor is directly elected based on popular vote and is tasked with setting the policies and by-laws that will affect the city, as it relates to: road maintenance, parks, property taxes, etc...

Despite being within the Saint Catherine, due to its population; Portmore was granted city status and 'independence' from the Saint Catherine Parish Council.

References[]

  1. ^ http://rjrnewsonline.com/news/local/local-government-elections-march-26[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Local Government elections postponed". 15 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Local government elections delayed". 10 February 2011.
  4. ^ http://jamaica-elections.com/local/2012/
  5. ^ The Trelawney parish council was tied so no party has a majority in that parish council. The mayoral position was awarded to the PNP by the one elected independent candidate in the parish.
Retrieved from ""