2011 Guyanese general election

General elections were held in Guyana on 28 November 2011.[1] The result was a victory for the People's Progressive Party, 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 (the largest single party) who assumed the presidency, and not David A. Granger of the PNC (which heads the opposition).

2011 Guyanese general election

28 November 2011
All 65 seats in the National Assembly 33 seats needed for a majority
Leader Donald Ramotar David A. Granger Raphael Trotman Party PPP PNC AFC Alliance None APNU None Leader since 29 March 1997 Presidential candidate 29 October 2005 Last election 54.6%, 36 seats 34.0%, 22 seats (PNC only) 8.4%, 5 seats Seats won 32 / 65 26 / 65 7 / 65 Seat change 4 3 2 Popular vote 166,340 139,678 35,333 Percentage 48.6% 40.81% 10.32%
President before election Bharrat Jagdeo PPP Elected President Donald Ramotar PPP

Presidential candidates

The candidate of the party with the largest number of seats becomes President. The ruling People's Progressive Party nominated Donald Ramotar, the party's general secretary and advisor to outgoing President Bharrat Jagdeo.[2] The Partnership for National Unity (an alliance of the People's National Congress, the Guyana Action Party and the Working People's Alliance)[3] nominated David A. Granger, a former commander of the Guyana Defence Force.

Police protection

Election Day, November 28 was declared a national holiday and troops patrolled the streets in order to prevent violence as had happened in previous elections.

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
			Constituency	Top-up	Total	+/–
People's Progressive Party	166,340	48.60	13	19	32	–4
A Partnership for National Unity	139,678	40.81	10	16	26	+3
Alliance for Change	35,333	10.32	2	5	7	+2
The United Force	885	0.26	0	0	0	–1
Invalid/blank votes	4,481	–	–	–	–	–
Total	346,717	100	25	40	65	0
Registered voters/turnout	475,496	72.92	–	–	–	–
Source: GECOM

By region

Region	APNU			PPP			AFC			TUF		Hare quota	Total votes	Total seats
	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%
Barima-Waini	887	17.06	1	3,472	66.77	1	786	15.12	0	55	1.06	2,600	5,200	2
Pomeroon-Supenaam	3,287	18.28	0	12,555	69.83	2	2,086	11.60	0	51	0.28	8,990	17,979	2
Essequibo Islands-West Demerara	14,028	27.58	1	33,424	65.71	2	3,343	6.57	0	70	0.14	16,955	50,865	3
Demerara-Mahaica	84,828	54.20	4	60,851	38.88	3	10,635	6.79	0	201	0.13	22,359	156,515	7
Mahaica-Berbice	8,906	34.83	1	13,558	53.02	1	3,079	12.04	0	29	0.11	12,786	25,572	2
East Berbice-Corentyne	10,798	19.68	0	32,360	58.97	2	11,634	21.20	1	83	0.15	18,292	54,875	3
Cuyuni-Mazaruni	2,843	48.95	1	2,376	40.91	1	505	8.69	0	84	1.45	2,904	5,808	2
Potaro-Siparuni	739	28.75	0	741	28.83	0	995	38.72	1	95	3.70	2,570	2,570	1
Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo	2,004	27.57	0	4,135	56.89	1	946	13.02	0	183	2.52	7,268	7,268	1
Upper Demerara-Berbice	11,358	72.88	2	2,868	18.40	0	1,324	8.50	0	34	0.22	7,792	15,584	2
National Assembly top up	139,678	40.81	16	166,340	48.60	19	35,333	10.32	5	885	0.26	5,265	342,236	65
Source: GECOM Guyana Election Law

Aftermath

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

References

1. "Opposition parties warn GECOM about pitfalls of re-opening registration". Demerara Waves. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
2. Guyana governing party's Donald Ramotar wins election BBC News, 1 December 2011
3. About APNU APNU