1954 British Honduras general election

General elections were held in British Honduras on 28 April 1954, the first held under universal suffrage.[1] The new constitution replaced the Legislative Council with a Legislative Assembly, which had nine elected members, three officials and three appointed members.[1] The result was a decisive victory for the pro-independence People's United Party, which won eight of the nine seats in a coalition with the General Workers' Union.

1954 British Honduras general election

← 1948 28 April 1954 1957 →

All 9 seats in the Legislative Assembly
Turnout70.41%
  First party Second party
 
PUP
NP
Leader Leigh Richardson (acting) Harrison Courtenay
Party PUP NP
Leader since 1953 1951
Leader's seat Belize West Did not run
Seats won 8 1
Popular vote 9,461 3,342
Percentage 65.04% 22.98%

Majority party leader before election

N/A

Elected Majority party leader

Leigh Richardson
PUP

The pro-colonial National Party won the remaining seat, with NP candidate Charles Westby prevailing in the Toledo constituency.[2]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats
People's United Party9,46165.048
National Party3,34222.981
Independents1,74311.980
Total14,546100.009
Valid votes14,54699.32
Invalid/blank votes1000.68
Total votes14,646100.00
Registered voters/turnout20,80170.41
Source: Elections & Boundaries Department

By division

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Division Turnout Political party Candidate Votes %
Belize North 2,474 People's United Party George Price 75.0
Independent John Smith 25.0
Belize Rural 1,445 People's United Party Herman Jex 51.8
Independent Fred Hunter 39.0
National Party MBL Wilson 9.3
Belize South 1,854 People's United Party Phillip Goldson 52.7
National Party Herbert Fuller 47.3
Belize West 2,626 People's United Party Leigh Richardson 71.7
National Party Lionel Francis 22.5
Independent Frederick Westby 5.8
Cayo 1,300 People's United Party Enrique De Paz 85.5
Independent S.A. McKinstry 14.5
Corozal 1,111 People's United Party Jose Leon Chin 63.2
Independent William Gegg 36.8
Orange Walk 878 People's United Party George Flowers 64.6
National Party William George 35.4
Stann Creek 2,023 People's United Party Nathaniel Cacho 60.9
National Party Catarino Benguche 39.1
Toledo 935 National Party Charles Westby 54.0
People's United Party George Gardiner 46.0

References

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  1. ^ a b Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p100 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. ^ General Elections 1954, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)