1968 Guyanese general election

General elections were held in Guyana on 16 December 1968.[1] The result was a victory for the People's National Congress, which won 30 of the 53 seats, although the PNC's victory was the result of fraud as the government had direct control of the elections.[2] Voter turnout was 85.1%.[1]

1968 Guyanese general election

16 December 1968
53 seats in the National Assembly 27 seats needed for a majority
Registered	369,088
Turnout	314,246 (85.15%)
Leader Forbes Burnham Cheddi Jagan Peter D'Aguiar Party PNC PPP TUF Leader since 13 February 1955 1 January 1950 5 October 1960 Seats won 30 / 53 19 / 53 4 / 53 Seat change 8 5 3 Popular vote 174,339 113,991 23,162 Percentage 55.81% 36.49% 7.41%
Prime Minister before election Forbes Burnham PNC Elected Prime Minister Forbes Burnham PNC

Election fraud

The electoral fraud of Forbes Burnham was the subject of two documentaries produced by Granada Television, The Trail of the Vanishing Voters which aired on 9 December 1968,[3] and The Making of a Prime Minister which appeared in January 1969.[4][5] The documentaries featured the main opposition figures, Cheddi Jagan and Peter D'Aguiar.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
People's National Congress	174,339	55.8	30	+8
People's Progressive Party	113,991	36.5	19	–5
United Force	23,162	7.4	4	–3
Guiana United Muslim Party	899	0.3	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	1,855	–	–	–
Total	314,246	100	53	0
Registered voters/turnout	369,088	85.1	–	–
Source: Nohlen

References

1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p363 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
2. Nohlen, p355-359
3. Granada Television (9 December 1968). "The Trail of the Vanishing Voters".
4. Granada Television (January 1969). "The Making of a Prime Minister".
5. Rabe, Stephen G. (2005). U.S. Intervention in British Guiana: A Cold War Story. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. p. 158. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8.