2008 Barbadian general election

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2008 Barbadian general election
Flag of Barbados.svg
  2003 15 January 2008 2013  

All 30 seats in the House of Assembly
16 seats needed for a majority
Turnout63.54% (Increase2.svg 6.66pp)
 First partySecond party
  David John Howard Thompson - World Economic Forum on Latin America 2010 (cropped).jpg Owen Arthur-2.jpg
Leader David Thompson Owen Arthur
Party DLP BLP
Last election44.09%, 7 seats55.80%, 23 seats
Seats won2010
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 13Decrease2.svg 13
Popular vote77,68169,720
Percentage52.55%47.16%
SwingIncrease2.svg 8.46ppDecrease2.svg 8.64pp

2008 Barbadian general election.svg
Results by constituency

Prime Minister before election

Owen Arthur
BLP

Elected Prime Minister

David Thompson
DLP

General elections were held in Barbados on 15 January 2008. [1] A concurrent referendum to determine whether or not to become a republic was initially planned but vote was postponed. [2] [3]

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which had been in opposition since 1994, won with 20 seats to 10 seats for the Barbados Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Owen Arthur. Recounts were held in some constituencies due to close results. [4]

On 11 September 2008 Hamilton Lashley MP, for St. Michael South-East announced he would cross the floor and no longer be a member of the Barbados Labour Party, but would instead become an independent. His defection brought the BLP as Opposition down to nine seats for the remainder of the Parliamentary session. [5] He later decided to join the ruling DLP party.

DLP chairman David Thompson was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 January. [1] After David Thompson died in October 2010 a by-election was held in January 2011 to fill his vacant seat for St. John.

Results

House of Assembly of Barbados, 2008.svg
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Democratic Labour Party 77,68152.5520+13
Barbados Labour Party 69,72047.1610–13
People's Empowerment Party 2350.160New
People's Democratic Congress460.030New
Independents 1440.1000
Total147,826100.00300
Valid votes147,82698.79
Invalid/blank votes1,8071.21
Total votes149,633100.00
Registered voters/turnout235,51063.54
Source: Electoral Department, Election Passport

References

  1. 1 2 "Thompson sworn in as Barbados PM". Xinhua. 17 January 2008.
  2. "Elections in Barbados". The Gleaner . 13 January 2008.
  3. "Barbados: parliamentary elections House of Representatives, 2008". Inter-Parliamentary Union . Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  4. "BARBADOS ELECTION: Ruling party defeated". BVI News. 16 January 2008.
  5. "BLP move?". The Nation . 5 October 2008.