This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Jamaica |
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General elections were held in Jamaica on 20 December 1949. [1] Although the People's National Party received more votes, the Jamaica Labour Party won a majority of seats. Voter turnout was 65.2%. [1]
Jamaica is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning 10,990 square kilometres (4,240 sq mi) in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the fourth-largest island country in the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about 145 kilometres (90 mi) south of Cuba, and 191 kilometres (119 mi) west of Hispaniola.
The People's National Party (PNP) is a social-democratic political party in Jamaica, founded in 1938 by activist Osmond Theodore Fairclough. It holds 30 of the 63 seats in the House of Representatives, as well as a majority of local government bodies, with 151 of the 228 divisions. The party is democratic socialist by constitution.
The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party, the JLP is actually a conservative party. However, it has longstanding ties to the Jamaican labour movement.
Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
---|---|---|---|---|
People's National Party | 203,048 | 43.5 | 13 | +8 |
Jamaica Labour Party | 199,538 | 42.7 | 17 | -5 |
United Party of Jamaica | 1,110 | 0.2 | 0 | New |
Other parties | 4,693 | 1.0 | 0 | – |
Independents | 58,790 | 12.6 | 2 | -3 |
Invalid/blank votes | 9,928 | – | – | – |
Total | 477,109 | 100 | 32 | 0 |
Source: Nohlen |
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Elections in Jamaica provides information on elections and election results in Jamaica.
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