1980 Jamaican general election

1980 Jamaica general election
	All 60 seats in the House of Representatives; 31 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	86.91% ( 1.70pp)
Michael Manley; PNP	Edward Seaga; JLP

General elections were held in Jamaica on 30 October 1980.^[1] The balance of power in the 60-seat Jamaican House of Representatives was dramatically-shifted. Prior to the vote, the People's National Party (PNP), led by Prime Minister Michael Manley, had a 47 to 13 majority over the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by Edward Seaga. With the loss by 38 PNP incumbents to their JLP challengers, Seaga's party captured a 51 to 9 majority and Seaga replaced Manley as Prime Minister of Jamaica. Voter turnout was 87%.^[1]

Conduct

The elections were marked by gun violence, exacerbated by economic pressure related to

blackouts due to a national electric strike.^[2] 153 elderly women died in the Eventide Home fire on 20 May, which was suspected, but not proven, to have been started by politically-motivated arsonists.^[3]

Results



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Jamaica Labour Party	502,115	58.88	51	+38
	People's National Party	350,064	41.05	9	–38
	Independents	527	0.06	0	New
Total		852,706	100.00	60	0

Valid votes		852,706	99.07
Invalid/blank votes		8,040	0.93
Total votes		860,746	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		990,417	86.91
Source: Nohlen

References

^
ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6

^ H.G. Helps (30 October 2012). "The bloody general election that changed Jamaica". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 2023-05-03.
^ Remembering the Eventide Home fire victims Jamaica Observer, 21 May 2018

[N1-1] 
ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6

[2] H.G. Helps (30 October 2012). "The bloody general election that changed Jamaica". Jamaica Observer. Archived from the original on 2023-05-03.

[3] Remembering the Eventide Home fire victims Jamaica Observer, 21 May 2018

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[2]

[3]

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