2017 Falkland Islands general election

Last updated

2017 Falkland Islands general election
Flag of the Falkland Islands.svg
  2013 9 November 2017 (2017-11-09) 2021  

All 8 members to the legislative assembly
5 seats needed for a majority
 Majority party
 
Party Nonpartisan
Seats won8

Falkland Islands general election 2017 - Results by Constituency.svg
Winning and losing candidates by constituency.

The Falkland Islands general election of 2017 was held on Thursday 9 November 2017 [1] to elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly (five from the Stanley constituency and three from the Camp constituency) through universal suffrage using block voting, with each Stanley constituent having up to 5 votes and each Camp constituent having up to 3 votes. Voter turnout was 80% in Stanley and 86% in Camp. [2]

Contents

It was the third election since the new Constitution came into force replacing the Legislative Council (which had existed since 1845) with the Legislative Assembly. As no political parties are active in the Falklands, all the candidates stood as Independents. Incumbent members Jan Cheek, Michael Poole, Phyllis Rendell and Mike Summers did not put their names forward for reelection. [3] Only three members of the previous assembly won reelection, with Ian Hansen being the only incumbent member to increase his percentage of the vote. [2]

Campaign

Under section 32 of the Constitution of the Falkland Islands, a general election did not need to take place until 19 January 2018. However, in August 2017 the Legislative Assembly announced that an early general election was being planned for 9 November 2017 (almost exactly four years after the previous general election of 2013). [1] The closing date for voter registration and applications for postal and proxy votes was noon FKST on 19 October 2017 and the deadline for nomination as a candidate in the election was 16:15 FKST on 20 October 2017. [1]

As well as attending hustings, each candidate gave a fifteen-minute televised interview to former member of the Legislative Assembly, Richard Cockwell, which was broadcast on the Falkland Islands Television Service. [4]

Results

Incumbent members are in italics.

Stanley constituency

Stanley [2]
ListCandidatesVotesOf total (%)± from prev.
Nonpartisan Roger Kenneth Spink Symbol confirmed.svg 65114.98N/A
Nonpartisan Leona Lucila Vidal Roberts Symbol confirmed.svg 55912.86N/A
Nonpartisan Mark John Pollard Symbol confirmed.svg 53412.29N/A
Nonpartisan Stacy John Bragger Symbol confirmed.svg 47610.95N/A
Nonpartisan Barry Elsby Symbol confirmed.svg 4049.30−9.50
Nonpartisan Gavin Phillip Short 3828.79−8.98
Nonpartisan David Patrick Peck3768.65N/A
Nonpartisan Corina Rose Ashbridge2595.96N/A
Nonpartisan Louise Ellis2325.34N/A
Nonpartisan John Birmingham 2215.09−0.91
Nonpartisan Jason Lewis972.23N/A
Nonpartisan Marvin Thomas Clarke902.07N/A
Nonpartisan Carole Lynda Jane Buckland651.50N/A
Turnout 434680+4.6

Camp constituency

Camp [2]
ListCandidatesVotesOf total (%)± from prev.
Nonpartisan Ian Hansen Symbol confirmed.svg 14927.29+8.18
Nonpartisan Teslyn Siobhan Barkman Symbol confirmed.svg 13925.46N/A'"`UNIQ−−ref−00000030−QINU`"'
Nonpartisan Roger Anthony Edwards Symbol confirmed.svg 13023.81−0.19
Nonpartisan Benjamin William Cockwell12823.44N/A
Turnout 54686+0.8

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 3 "Falklands' preparations and registration for November 9 General Election". MercoPress. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
    2. 1 2 3 4 "Falkland Islands Elects New Legislative Assembly". MercoPress. 10 November 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
    3. "17 candidates finally declare". Penguin News . 23 October 2017. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
    4. General Election 2017: Meet the Candidates playlist on YouTube