Both major political parties in Jamaica, the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People’s National Party (PNP) are laying claim to victory in the wake of Monday’s local government elections.
The Electoral Commission of Jamaica stated that an official count will be taken on Tuesday, with the prospect of several closely contested divisions reaching the parish courts for a final verdict.
But this did not stop the leaders of both political parties from declaring victory, based on the preliminary results.
“The Jamaica Labour Party has won,” JLP Leader Andrew Holness said at a press conference late last night, noting that preliminary results from the Electoral Office of Jamaica show his party leading in seven municipal corporations.
In parallel, preliminary results indicate the People’s National Party is ahead in four municipal corporations, with two others deadlocked.
However, PNP President Mark Golding also declared on Monday night that the “PNP has come back”, claiming victory in the local polls.
Speaking with journalists at the PNP’s headquarters on Old Hope Road, St Andrew, Golding explained that his party is on track to win the popular vote and has increased the number of divisions it controls.
The PNP is leading in Hanover, Manchester, Westmoreland, and St Mary municipal corporations, based on preliminary results.
The JLP is ahead in St Catherine, Portland, St Ann, Trelawny, St James, Clarendon, and St Elizabeth.
The PNP received major support in Kingston and St Andrew, and is now tied with the JLP. If flipped, the well-known Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams will lose his post as mayor.
The St Thomas municipal corporation is also tied.
Preliminary results
The preliminary results also show the PNP’s Leon Thomas winning the mayoral race in Portmore, defeating the JLP’s Markland Edwards by 14,921 to 10,095. Independent candidate Howard Hamilton received 269 votes.
Meanwhile, political turncoat Romaine Morris won the Mocho division in the Clarendon Municipal Corporation for the PNP, beating the JLP’s Clement Alves. He won 1,240 votes, beating Alves’ 1,049. Morris joined the PNP in January.
Darrington Ferguson held the Papine division for the PNP, defeating political turncoat Venesha Phillips of the JLP for a place in the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC). Ferguson won 2,113 votes while Phillips got 1,854. Independent candidate George Planto received 61 votes.
First timer to representational politics Jesse James Clarke of the PNP was elected councilor for the Trafalgar division in the KSAMC. He won 1,691 votes, beating Kari Douglas’ 1,021. She switched to the JLP in 2020.
The Electoral Office of Jamaica has reported a preliminary voter turnout of 29.6 percent. Voter turnout in the 2016 local government elections was 30.6%.
Over two million Jamaicans were eligible to cast their vote in yesterday’s long-awaited local government elections, which were postponed three times.
