1985 Guyanese general election

1985 Guyanese general election

←  1980 9 December 1985 1992  →
53 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly 27 seats needed for a majority
Registered	399,304
Turnout	73.83% ( 8.48pp)
First party Second party Third party   Leader Desmond Hoyte Cheddi Jagan Marcellus Fielden Singh Party PNC PPP TUF Leader since 6 August 1985 1 January 1950 January 1969 Last election 77.66%, 53 seats 19.46%, 10 seats 2.88%, 2 seats Seats won 42 8 2 Seat change 1 2 Popular vote 228,718 45,926 9,820 Percentage 78.54% 15.77% 3.37% Swing 0.88pp 3.69pp 0.49pp
Results by district
President before election Desmond Hoyte PNC Elected President Desmond Hoyte PNC

General elections were held in Guyana on 9 December 1985. ^[1] The result was a victory for the People's National Congress, which won 42 of the 53 directly-elected seats. However, the elections were marred by fraud and the People's Progressive Party and Working People's Alliance withdrew on election day. ^[2] Voter turnout was 73.8%. ^[1]

Electoral system

The National Assembly had 65 members; 53 elected by proportional representation in a nationwide constituency, 10 appointed by the Regional Councils elected on the same date as the national members, and 2 appointed by the National Congress of Local Democratic Organs, an umbrella body representing the regional councils. ^[3]

The President was elected by a first-past-the-post double simultaneous vote system, whereby each list nominated a presidential candidate and the candidate heading the list that received the most votes was elected president. ^[3]

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats
				Elected	Regional appointees	NCLDO appointees	Total	+/–
	People's National Congress	228,718	78.54	42	10	2	54	+1
	People's Progressive Party	45,926	15.77	8	0	0	8	–2
	United Force	9,820	3.37	2	0	0	2	0
	Working People's Alliance	4,176	1.43	1	0	0	1	New
	Democratic Labour Movement	2,167	0.74	0	0	0	0	New
	People's Democratic Movement	232	0.08	0	0	0	0	New
	National Democratic Front	156	0.05	0	0	0	0	New
Total		291,195	100.00	53	10	2	65	0
Valid votes		291,195	98.78
Invalid/blank votes		3,606	1.22
Total votes		294,801	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		399,304	73.83
Source: Nohlen, IPU, Guyana News and Information

References

1. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p363 ISBN   978-0-19-928357-6
2. Nohlen, p367
3. "Guyana's new Constitution and the elections of 1980: A case of people's power?", Rajendra Chandisingh