1961 British Honduras general election

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]

1961 British Honduras general election

26 March 1961
All 18 seats in the Legislative Assembly
Turnout	79.50%
Leader George Cadle Price Party PUP Leader since 1956 Leader's seat Freetown Last election 9 seats Seats won 18 Seat change 9 Popular vote 13,975 Percentage 64.67% Swing 3.35
First Minister before election George Cadle Price PUP Elected First Minister George Cadle Price PUP

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

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	People's United Party	13,975	64.67	18	+9
	National Independence Party	5,107	23.63	0	0
	Christian Democratic Party	2,514	11.63	0	New
	Independents	15	0.07	0	0
Total		21,611	100.00	18	+9
Valid votes		21,611	98.08
Invalid/blank votes		422	1.92
Total votes		22,033	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		27,714	79.50
Source: Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission

By division

Division	Electorate	Turnout	%	Political party		Candidate	Votes	%
Albert	2,424	2,058	84.9		People's United Party	Frederick Westby		42.8
					Christian Democratic Party	Nicholas Pollard		37.9
					National Independence Party	Floss Casasola		18.7
Belize Rural North	1,406	1,041	74.0		People's United Party	Fred Hunter		62.2
					Christian Democratic Party	Arthur Wade		25.4
					National Independence Party	Marcelo Casasola		10.3
Belize Rural South	1,052	781	74.2		People's United Party	Louis Sylvestre		81.3
					National Independence Party	Todd Brown		15.6
Cayo North	1,292	1,042	80.7		People's United Party	Hector Silva		70.5
					National Independence Party	Manuel Figueroa		27.0
Cayo South	1,174	962	81.9		People's United Party	Santiago Perdomo		61.3
					Christian Democratic Party	Eduardo Espat		30.0
					National Independence Party	Pedro Mena		5.8
Collet	2,706	2,168	80.1		People's United Party	Albert Cattouse		44.6
					National Independence Party	Edward Flowers		43.9
					Christian Democratic Party	Mervin Hulse		9.3
Corozal North	1,473	1,141	77.5		People's United Party	Santiago Ricalde		79.9
					National Independence Party	Gualberto Martinez		18.1
Corozal South	1,480	956	64.6		People's United Party	Jesus Ken		85.7
					National Independence Party	Victor Greenwood		10.5
Fort George	1,422	1,225	86.1		People's United Party	Alexander Hunter		60.2
					National Independence Party	Herbert Fuller		28.5
					Christian Democratic Party	Denbigh Jeffery		10.8
Freetown	1,850	1,625	87.8		People's United Party	George Cadle Price		67.1
					National Independence Party	Sabino Savery		24.8
					Christian Democratic Party	Erenst Cain		7.6
Mesopotamia	2,501	1,993	79.7		People's United Party	C. L. B. Rogers		62.4
					National Independence Party	Erlean Casasola		28.4
					Christian Democratic Party	Edward Usher		8.6
Orange Walk North	1,377	1,089	79.1		People's United Party	Victor Orellana		57.6
					National Independence Party	Eloy Escalante		40.7
Orange Walk South	926	680	73.4		People's United Party	Guadalupe Pech		81.4
					National Independence Party	Ignacio Vega		14.4
Pickstock	1,680	1,418	84.4		People's United Party	Gwendolyn Lizarraga		68.6
					National Independence Party	Jaime Staines		16.3
					Christian Democratic Party	Clare Gill		13.3
					Independent	Robert Taylor		0.7
					Independent	James Ysaguirre		0.4
Stann Creek Rural	1,856	1,343	72.4		People's United Party	David McKoy		72.3
					National Independence Party	Harry Stanley		23.7
Stann Creek Town	1,816	1,493	82.2		People's United Party	Allan Arthurs		52.3
					National Independence Party	Paul Guerrero		44.2
Toledo North	547	374	68.4		People's United Party	Faustino Zuniga		55.6
					National Independence Party	Charles Westby		42.2
Toledo South	941	732	77.8		People's United Party	Sam Vernon		48.0
					National Independence Party	Francis Martinez		39.5
					Christian Democratic Party	Alan Woodeye		11.5

References

1. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p100 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
2. General Elections 1961, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)