2020 Jamaican general election
 | This article documents a current election. Information may change rapidly as the election progresses until official results have been published. Initial news reports may be unreliable, and the last updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. |
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All 63 seats in the Jamaica House of Representatives 32 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 37%[1] ( 11.10 pp) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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.svg) Map of result by constituency. All constituencies are numbered, with labels at the bottom. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Jamaica portal |
General elections were held in Jamaica on Thursday, 3 September 2020[2] to elect 63 members of Parliament. Under the constitution, elections had been required between 25 February and 10 June 2021. However, Prime Minister Andrew Holness called early elections. On the advice of Holness, Governor General Patrick Allen dissolved Parliament on 13 August 2020.[3]
The result was a victory for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, which received 57% of the vote and won 49 seats. Voter turnout was only 37%.[4]
Background
Prior to the election, the Jamaica Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness formed a majority government. The largest opposition party was the People's National Party, led by Peter Phillips. The Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party have been the two biggest parties since 1944.
Electoral system
The 63 members of the House of Representatives are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting[5] Voters must be 18 years and over and be a citizen of Jamaica or a Commonwealth citizen.
The leader of the party commanding a majority of support in the House of Representatives is called on by the Governor General to form a government as Prime Minister, while the leader of the largest party or coalition not in government becomes the Leader of the Opposition.
Campaign
Only three parties registered to contest the election; the Jamaica Labour Party, People's National Party and the Jamaica Abolitionist Movement. The JLP and PNP nominated candidates in all 63 constituencies, while the JAM nominated only one candidate to stand in Westmoreland Central. The two main parties, the Jamaica Labour Party and People's National Party agreed to participate in three televised debates hosted by the Jamaica Debates Commission.[6]
The People's National Party campaigned for a referendum on removing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.[7]
On 15 August 2020, the pastors of the Christian right Jamaica Progressive Party announced that the party would not contest the elections due to lack of time to prepare.[8]
Contesting parties
| Party | Position | Ideology | Leader (since) |
Last election | At dissolution | Contested | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor="Template:Jamaica Abolitionist Movement/meta/color" | | Jamaica Abolitionist Movement | Centre-right | Republicanism Pan-Africanism |
Don Foote (August 2020)[9] |
New | 0 / 63
|
1 |
| bgcolor="Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color" | | Jamaica Labour Party | Centre-right | Nationalism[10][11][12] Fiscal conservatism[13] Populism Conservatism[14][15][16] Republicanism Fabianism (originally)[12] |
Andrew Holness (January 2010) |
32 / 63 (51%)
|
33 / 63 (52%)
|
63 |
| bgcolor="Template:People's National Party/meta/color" | | People's National Party | Centre-left | Social democracy Democratic socialism Populism Republicanism[17] |
Peter Phillips (November 2017) |
31 / 63 (49%)
|
29 / 63 (46%)
|
63 |
Slogans and songs
Incumbent MPs not seeking re-election
Seven members of parliament are not standing for re-election:[19]
| Retiring incumbent | Electoral District | Term in office | Reason | Date announced | Replaced as MP by | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Robert Pickersgill | PNP | Saint Catherine North Western | 1989-2020 | Not standing | 22 August 2017[20] | |||
| style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Evon Redman | PNP | Saint Elizabeth North Eastern | 2016–2020 | Not standing | 10 May 2018[21] | |||
| style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Derrick Kellier | PNP | Saint James Southern | 1987–2020 | Not standing | 28 May 2018[22] | |||
| style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Ronald Thwaites | PNP | Kingston Central | 1997–2020 | Not standing | 22 May 2019[23] | |||
| style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Noel Arscott | PNP | Clarendon South Western | 2007–2020 | Not standing | 14 September 2019[24] | |||
| style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Shahine Robinson | JLP | Saint Ann North Eastern | 2001–2020 | Died in office | 29 May 2020[25] | |||
| style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Leslie Campbell | JLP | Saint Catherine North Eastern | 2016–2020 | Not standing | 26 June 2020[26] | |||
Candidates
Candidate nominations were finalised on nomination day, 18 August 2020[27] The full candidate list is presented below,[28] along with the incumbent candidates before the election.[29] MPs who are not standing for re-election are marked (†). Government ministers are in bold,[30] and party leaders are in italics.
Clarendon Parish
Hanover Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | |||||
| Hanover Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Dave Brown | Wavell Hinds | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Dave Brown | |
| Hanover Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Tamika Davis | Ian Hayles | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Ian Hayles | |
Kingston Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | |||||
| Kingston Central | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Donovan Williams | Imani Duncan-Price | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | † Ronald Thwaites | |
| Kingston East & Port Royal | Egwugwu Priestly | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Phillip Paulwell | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Phillip Paulwell | |
| Kingston Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Desmond McKenzie | Joseph Witter | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Desmond McKenzie | |
Manchester Parish
Portland Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | |||||
| Portland Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Ann-Marie Vaz | Bishop Purcell Jackson | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Ann-Marie Vaz | |
| Portland Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Daryl Vaz | Valerie Neita Robertson | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Daryl Vaz | |
Saint Andrew Parish
Saint Ann Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:Other parties/meta/color;"|Other | ||||||
| Saint Ann North Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Marsha Smith | Keith Brown | Vacant | ||||
| Saint Ann North Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Krystal Lee | Dayton Campbell | Peter Shand (Ind.) | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Dayton Campbell | ||
| Saint Ann South Eastern | Delroy Granston | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Lisa Hanna | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Lisa Hanna | |||
| Saint Ann South Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Zavia Mayne | Valenton Wint | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Zavia Mayne | |||
Saint Catherine Parish
Saint Elizabeth Parish
Saint James Parish
Saint Mary Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | |||||
| Saint Mary Central | Lennon Richards | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Morais Guy | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Morais Guy | |
| Saint Mary South Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Norman Dunn | Shane Alexis | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Norman Dunn | |
| Saint Mary Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Robert Montague | Jason Stanford | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Robert Montague | |
Saint Thomas Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | |||||
| Saint Thomas Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Michelle Charles Freeman | Fenton Ferguson | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Fenton Ferguson | |
| Saint Thomas Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | James Robertson | Marsha Francis | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | James Robertson | |
Trelawny Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:Other parties/meta/color;"|Other | ||||||
| Trelawny Northern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Tova Hamilton | Victor Wright Jnr | Genieve Dawkins (Ind.) | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Victor Wright | ||
| Trelawny Southern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert | Lloyd Gillings | Richard Sharpe (Ind.) | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert | ||
Westmoreland Parish
| Electoral District | Candidates | Incumbent | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| colspan="2" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" |JLP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" |PNP | colspan="2" style="background:Template:Other parties/meta/color;"|Other | ||||||
| Westmoreland Central | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | George Wright | Dwayne Vaz | Torraino Beckford (Ind.) Don Foote (JAM) |
style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Dwayne Vaz | ||
| Westmoreland Eastern | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Daniel Lawrence | Luther Buchanan | Haile Mika'el (Ind.) | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Luther Buchanan | ||
| Westmoreland Western | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" | | Morland Wilson | Wykeham McNeill | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" | | Wykeham McNeill | |||
Marginal seats
The following lists identify and rank seats by the margin by which the party's candidate finished behind the winning candidate in the 2015 election.
For information purposes only, seats that have changed hands through subsequent by elections have been noted. Seats whose members have changed party allegiance are ignored.
Opinion polls
Don Anderson, CEO of Market Research Services Limited, Larren Peart, founder and CEO of Bluedot Data Intelligence Limited and Bill Johnson of Johnson's Survey Research Limited Inc have commissioned opinion polling for the general election regularly sampling the electorates' opinions.
| Date | Pollster | Sample size |
class="unsortable" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" data-sort-type="number" |JLP | class="unsortable" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" number" |PNP | class="unsortable" style="background:Template:Other parties/meta/color;" |Other | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 57.1 | 42.8 | 0.1 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="14.3" |14.3 |
| 21–24 August 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 37 | 25 | 38 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="12" |12 |
| 21–23 August 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,000 | 37 | 23 | 40 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="12" |14 |
| 20 July–6 August 2020 | Nationwide News Network/Bluedot poll | – | 52 | 34 | 14 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="18" |18 |
| 23 July–3 August 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 36 | 20 | 44 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="16" |16 |
| 9–12 July 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 36 | 17 | 47 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="19" |19 |
| 13–20 June 2020 | Mello TV/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 38 | 19 | 43 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="19" |19 |
| 12–15 March 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 33 | 19 | 48 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="14" |14 |
| 8–18 February 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | 1,038 | 30 | 22 | 48 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="8" |8 |
| 2–19 December 2019 | Nationwide News Network/Bluedot poll | – | 56 | 44 | 0 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="12" |12 |
| 7 August 2019 | Don Anderson poll | – | 35 | 30 | 35 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="5" |5 |
| 2–4 August 2019 | One PNP/Bill Johnson poll | 1,000 | 34 | 32 | 34 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="2" |2 |
| 28 March 2019 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | 1,003 | 29 | 18 | 53 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="11" |11 |
| 12 March 2018 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 26 | 19 | 55 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="6" |6 |
| 25 February 2016 | 2016 general election | – | 50.1 | 49.7 | 0.2 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="0.4" |0.4 |
CEAC Solutions polling
These polls are typically unpublished and are used internally for the PNP. Although these polls are sometimes leaked or partially leaked, their details are not publicly available for viewing and scrutinising. Because not all of their polls are made public, it is likely that those that are released are cherry-picked and therefore may not truly indicate ongoing trends.
| Date | Pollster | Sample size |
class="unsortable" style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;" data-sort-type="number" |JLP | class="unsortable" style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;" number" |PNP | class="unsortable" style="background:Template:Other parties/meta/color;" |Other | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 57.1 | 42.8 | 0.1 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="14.3" |14.3 |
| 28-29 August 2020 | CEAC Solutions poll | 366 | 41 | 44 | 15 | style="background:Template:People's National Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="3" |3 |
| 25 February 2016 | 2016 general election | – | 50.1 | 49.7 | 0.2 | style="background:Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color;color:#000000;" data-sort-value="0.4" |0.4 |
Preliminary results
| |||||||||
| Party | Votes | % | +/– | Seats | +/– | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| bgcolor=Template:Jamaica Labour Party/meta/color| | Jamaica Labour Party | 406,764 | 57.04 | +6.94 | 49 | +17 | |||
| bgcolor=Template:People's National Party/meta/color| | People's National Party | 305,157 | 42.79 | –6.90 | 14 | –17 | |||
| Jamaica Abolitionist Movement | 22 | 0.00 | New | 0 | New | ||||
| bgcolor=Template:Independent politician/meta/color| | Independents | 1,169 | 0.16 | –0.05 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 713,112 | 100 | - | 63 | 0 | ||||
| Valid ballots | 713,112 | ||||||||
| Invalid/blank ballots | |||||||||
| Total ballots cast | 100 | ||||||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,913,410 | 37.27 | |||||||
| Source: Jamaica Elections | |||||||||
References
- ^ "Jamaica Gleaner Jamaica Elections 2020". jamaica-elections.com. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ Jamaica Votes In General Election On September 3, 2020 Jamaica Gleaner, 11 August 2020
- ^ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ JLP Trounces PNP 49 To 14 Seats The Gleaner, 3 September 2020
- ^ Electoral System IPU
- ^ black|PNP, JLP agree to political debates ahead of next general elections Jamaica Observer, 18 October 2019
- ^ "PNP vows to hold referendum on whether to remove Queen if elected". Jamaica Gleaner. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020..
- ^ "Jamaica's political party 'of pastors' backs out of election race". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ King, Cheryl L. A. (2003). Wipf and Stock Publishers (ed.). Michael Manley and Democratic Socialism: Political Leadership and Ideology in Jamaica. p. 1.
- ^ Monteith, Kathleen E. A.; Richards, Glen (2001). University of the West Indies Press (ed.). Jamaica in Slavery and Freedom: History, Heritage and Culture. pp. 365–366.
- ^ a b Austin, Diane J. (1987). Taylor & Francis (ed.). Urban Life in Kingston, Jamaica: The Culture and Class Ideology of Two Neighborhoods. p. 13.
- ^ Davidson, Vernon (29 March 2015). "Holness outlines the JLP's philosophy". Jamaica Observer.
- ^ "Jamaica country profile". BBC. 10 January 2018.
- ^ Thomason, Ian (2009). Faber & Faber (ed.). The Dead Yard: Tales of Modern Jamaica. p. 68.
- ^ Wallace, Elisabeth (1977). University of Toronto Press (ed.). The British Caribbean from the Decline of Colonialism to the End of Federation. University of Toronto Press. p. 41.
- ^ PNP Manifesto 2016
- ^ "Building Your Jamaica 🎼 🇯🇲 Bet you Neva know say a PNP Build that!". People's National Party on Twitter. Retrieved 28 August 2020.
- ^ "#JaVotes2020 | Seven MPs not seeking re-election". Jamaica Gleaner. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "'Chairman for Life' Bobby Pickersgill quitting the top PNP position". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Tensions Rising over PNP Succession in NE St Elizabeth". Nationwide 90FM. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Kellier to step away from politics - South St James MP plans to complete term while grooming successor". Jamaica Gleaner. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Jamaica Observer Limited". Jamaica Observer. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Newcomer keen to widen gap on JLP in Clarendon SW". Jamaica Gleaner. 11 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Labour Minister Shahine Robinson has died". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ Mills, Horace (26 June 2020). "MP confirms he is not seeking re-election". Jamaica Beacon. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Live Blog: General Elections 2020". Loop Jamaica. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "| Jamaica Gleaner". Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Members of Parliament". Parliament of Jamaica. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
- ^ "Members of the Cabinet – Office of the Prime Minister". Office of the Prime Minister. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
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