2012 Jamaican local elections

Local government elections were held on 26 March 2012 in

Portmore. Each of the 13 parish councils and parish capital mayoral positions were allocated to a political party. The election was contested mainly between Jamaica's two major political parties, the Portia Simpson-Miller-led People's National Party (PNP), the opposition, and the Andrew Holness-led Jamaica Labour Party

(JLP), which currently forms Jamaica's government.

Councillor candidates are nominated by political parties in the electoral divisions and are voted on and directly elected by the

third party candidate will make the decision of which of the tied political parties should be awarded the mayorship of the capital of the parish. In the case that no independent or third party candidates were elected, the mayorship will be dependent on which party received the higher popular vote

in the parish.

Background

With local government elections constitutionally due every three years, these elections were due on 5 December 2010.^[2]^[3] The elections were delayed several times before finally being called by the newly elected PNP government.

These elections followed the 2011 general elections in which the PNP was returned to governance.

Results

The People's National Party secured a

Trelawny, being tied by the two major political parties with one elected independent candidate. It was decided by the independent candidate that the mayorship of Falmouth

, the capital of Trelawny, would be awarded to the PNP with the JLP receiving the deputy mayor position.

Councillor election

Parish councils

The party which controls each of the 13 parish councils and appoints a mayor for the capital of the parish is the party which wins the majority of divisions in the parish. In the case that neither party holds a majority in a parish council, an elected

third party candidate will make the decision of which of the tied political parties should be awarded the mayorship of the capital of the parish. In the case that no independent or third party candidates were elected, the mayorship will be dependent on which party received the higher popular vote

in the parish.

Summary of the 26 March 2012 Jamaican parish council election results
Parish Councils	PNP	JLP	Other	Mayorship	Deputy Mayorship
Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation	26	14	0	PNP	PNP
St. Catherine	15	14	0	PNP	PNP
St. Thomas	7	3	0	PNP	PNP
Portland	5	4	0	PNP	PNP
St. Mary	8	5	0	PNP	PNP
St. Ann	11	5	0	PNP	PNP
Trelawny	4	4	1	PNP	JLP
St. James	13	4	0	PNP	PNP
Hanover	5	1	1	PNP	PNP
Clarendon	12	10	0	PNP	PNP
Manchester	11	4	0	PNP	PNP
St. Elizabeth	9	6	0	PNP	PNP
Westmoreland	14	0	0	PNP	PNP
Total	151	75	2	13 (PNP: 13) (JLP: 0)	13 (PNP: 12) (JLP: 1)
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Summary of the 26 March 2012 Jamaican local government election results.
Parties	Votes	%	+/–	Electoral divisions	+/–	Parish councils^[5]	+/–	Mayoral positions	+/–
People's National Party	318,097	55.99	+8.47	151	+57	12	+9	13	+10
Jamaica Labour Party	245,717	43.25	–9.42	75	–58	0	-9	0	-10
Marcus Garvey People's Progressive Party	280	0.05		0	NEW	0	NEW	0	NEW
Independents	4,047	0.71	+0.61	2	+2	0	±0	0	±0
Invalid/blank votes		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Total (turnout 34.5%)	568,141	100		228	+1	13	±0	13	±0
Source: Jamaica Gleaner

Portmore mayoral election

The Mayor of Portmore is the chairman of the Portmore Municipal Council, the

legislative

body for the city. The Mayor is directly elected based on popular vote and is tasked with setting the policies and by-laws that will affect the city, as it relates to: road maintenance, parks, property taxes, etc...

Despite being within the Saint Catherine, due to its population; Portmore was granted city status and 'independence' from the Saint Catherine Parish Council.

References

^ Local government elections 26 March 2012 ^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Local Government elections postponed". 15 December 2010.
^ "Local government elections delayed". 10 February 2011.
^ Local elections 2012
^ The Trelawney parish council was tied so no party has a majority in that parish council. The mayoral position was awarded to the PNP by the one elected independent candidate in the parish.

[1] Local government elections 26 March 2012 ^{[permanent dead link]}

[2] "Local Government elections postponed". 15 December 2010.

[3] "Local government elections delayed". 10 February 2011.

[4] Local elections 2012

[5] The Trelawney parish council was tied so no party has a majority in that parish council. The mayoral position was awarded to the PNP by the one elected independent candidate in the parish.

[2]

[3]

[5]

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