TOLEDO DISTRICT
1-Toledo West
Juan Coy-United Democratic Party (UDP):______
Oscar Requena-People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Estevan Assi Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_______
2-Toledo East
Eden Martinez-United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Mike Espat-People’s United Party (PUP):________
Will Maheia-Belize Progressive Party (BPP):______
STANN CREEK DISTRICT
3-Stann Creek West
Walter Garbutt-United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Rodwell Ferguson-People’s United Party (PUP):_______
Milton Palacio Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
4-Dangriga, Sarawee and Hope Creek
Frank “Papa” Mena-United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Anthony Sabal-People’s United Party (PUP):_______
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):______
CAYO DISTRICT
5-Cayo Central
Rene Montero-United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Dan Silva-People’s United Party (PUP):______
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):______
6-Cayo North East
John August United Democratic Party (UDP):
Orlando Habet People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
7-Cayo South
Ralph Huang United Democratic Party (UDP):________
Julius Espat People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
8-Cayo North
Omar Figueroa United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Michel Chebat People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
9-Cayo West
Erwin Contreras United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Lesbia Guerra-Cocom People’s United Party (PUP):____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
10-Belmopan
John Saldivar United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Patrick Andrews People’s United Party (PUP):_______
Charles Leslie Jr. Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_______
BELIZE DISTRICT
11-Belize Rural South
Manuel Heredia Jr. United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Elito Arceo People’s United Party (PUP):_______
Robert Bobby Lopez Jr. Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
12-Belize Rural North
Edmund Castro United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Lloyd Jones People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
13-Belize Rural Central
Beverly Castillo United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Dolores Balderamos-Garcia People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
14-Freetown
Carla Barnett United Democratic Party (UDP): l
Francis Fonseca People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Elizabeth Dena Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
15-Fort George
Roger Espejo United Democratic Party (UDP):_____
Said Musa People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
16-Lake Independence
Mark King United Democratic Party (UDP):
Cordel Hyde People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
17-Albert Division
Tracy Taegar-Panton United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Paul Thompson People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Dr. Jose Luis Espat Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
18-Pickstock Division
Wilfred Elrington United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Francis Smith People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Patrick Rogers Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
19-Queen Square
Dean Barrow United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Anthony Sylvester Jr. People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Gary Matus Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
20-Collet Division
Patrick Faber United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Yasmin Shoman People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Raymond Rivers Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
21-Port Loyola Division
Anthony Boots Martinez United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Gilroy Usher People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
22-Mesopotamia Division
Michael Finnegan United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Dorla Vaughn People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
23-Caribbean Shores
Darrell Bradley United Democratic Party (UDP):
Kareem Musa People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive (BPP):_____
ORANGE WALK DISTRICT
24-Orange Walk South
Guadalupe Magana United Democratic Party (UDP):_____
Jose Mai People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Hipolito Bautista Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
25-Orange Walk North
Gasper Vega United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Ramon Cervantes Jr. People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Onofre Vellos Belize Progressive Party (BPP)
26-Orange Walk East
Elodio Aragon Jr. United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Josue Carballo People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
27-Orange Walk Central
Danny Grijalva United Democratic Party (UDP):_____
Johnny Briceno People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
COROZAL DISTRICT
28-Corozal West
Angel Campos United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Ramiro Ramirez People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Lucio Teck Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
29-Corozal South East
Evan Cowo United Democratic Party (UDP):_____
Florencio Marin Jr. People’s United Party (PUP): Winner
Edna Doris Diaz Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
30-Corozal North
Hugo Patt United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
David Castillo People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Hector Palomo Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
31-Corozal Bay
Pablo Marin United Democratic Party (UDP): Winner
Gregorio Garcia Jr. People’s United Party (PUP):_____
Ray Rodriguez Belize Progressive Party (BPP):_____
PERSONAL POLLING AS OF TODAY
United Democratic Party (UDP) Total Seats: 21-Seats
People’s United Party (PUP) Total Seats: 10-Seats
Belize Progressive Party (BPP) Total Seats:-0
KEY RACES RESULTS-Freetown Division and Lake Independence in Belize City
FREETOWN DIVISION-The UDP candidate Doctor Carla Barnett lost to the PUP Leader of the Opposition Francis Fonseca. Despite her lost, I expect her to play a major role in the new UDP Cabinet because of her potentials to our country. She is an outstanding Belizean.
Lake Independence- PUP candidate Cordel Hyde defeated Mark King and regained back his seat that he left in 2012. He is a rising star in the PUP and will possibly be one of the candidates running for the leadership of the party.
Election Day-The Polls were open From-7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. After the polls were closed ballot boxes were taken to their respective places and counting began immediately. The turnout was high and about 130,000 Belizeans voted in the General Elections.
Surprise-Belize District with the most seats results came out early. And based on those results, it was obvious that the PUP were in big trouble. Mayor Darrel Bradley ran in Caribbean Shores. He lost the election to Kareem Musa the son of former Prime Minister Said Musa. He will remain as Belize City Mayor. This is the first time in Belize’s history that we have a father and son in the House of Representatives. His other son is the Chairman of the People’s United Party and he might replace his father Said Musa in Fort George Division.
The United Democratic Party (UDP) did not take anything for granted and brought out full force to win as much seats as possible. Voter turnout was the key to win the elections and they brought out their voters. The PUP’s were hoping that a high turnout would work to their advantage but it did not. PUP were not ready for this election. Indications from Belize is that they were not fully ready due to the friction between some members and the 11 candidates who were demanding a Leadership Convention. The friction will continue into the next five years as early as next week.
IMPORTANT BELIZE ELECTION FACTS
1-Election in Belize are normally held every five years but the Prime Minister of Belize has the constitutional power to dissolve his or her Cabinet and call early elections when he or her chooses to do so. This will be the fourth time this has happened in Belize history. In the first two times it happened both the PUP and the UDP Lost the elections. In 2012 the UDP escaped by a narrow margin. That election was called in 2012 but was due in 2013. This is the first time in Belize history that a political party called early elections and won by a large margin.
2-The members of the House of Representatives can also table a Vote of No Confidence in the Belize House of Representatives and if they get a majority of the elected Representatives to go along with them, then the Cabinet must be dissolved by the Prime Minister and he or she must call early elections.
3-The Prime Minister of Belize is not elected through a direct vote by the people of Belize. He or she must be the Leader of his or her party first. Then, if his or her party win the most seats in the General Elections, he or she will become the next Prime Minister. Dean Barrow will become the first Prime Minister of Belize to be elected for three consecutive terms.
However, if the Leader of the Party loses his or her seat in the election after they gain the majority of seats, the elected Representatives will decide from among themselves who will be the Prime Minister. That has never happened in Belize history. However, the Leader of the Party has lost before and the PUP and UDP had to elect a new Leader in the House of Representatives.
I had predicted 20 Seats for UDP prior to the elections and then I moved it to 22 Seats. Still, that is close to the final outcome 21 UDP-Seats and 10-PUP Seats. Now that the elections are over we should all come together as one people Belizeans.
Prepared BY:
Wellington C. Ramos
Belizean Columnist
Adjunct Professor History/Political Science
The views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the Belize Media Group.