2012 Bahamian general election

General elections were held in the Bahamas on 7 May 2012. They were the first general election in which a third party (the Democratic National Alliance) offered a full slate of candidates alongside the two major parties, the Free National Movement and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP).[1] The result was a victory for the opposition PLP, whose leader Perry Christie became prime minister.

2012 Bahamian general election

7 May 2012 (2012-05-07)

All 38 seats of the Bahamian House of Assembly
20 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Perry Christie Hubert Ingraham
Party PLP FNM
Leader since 1997 1992, 2005
Leader's seat Centreville North Abaco
Last election 18 seats, 47.02% 23 seats, 49.86%
Seats won 29 9
Seat change 11 14
Popular vote 75,815 65,633
Percentage 48.62% 42.09%
Swing 1.60% 7.77%

Family Island Results
Grand Bahama Results
Colours denote the winning party, as shown in the main table of results

Prime Minister before election

Hubert Ingraham
FNM

Prime Minister

Perry Christie
PLP

Background

The Free National Movement had defeated the Progressive Liberal Party in the 2007 general election amid a scandal involving the residency status of model and reality television star Anna Nicole Smith and allegations that the PLP's then-immigration minister had fast-tracked her application to live in the islands.[2]

Opinion polls

An opinion poll was carried out by Public Domain, a market research and public opinion polling company, between 2 and 12 March 2012 that involved 501 respondents. A sample of this proportion only represented a maximum margin of error of 4.4 per cent. The poll showed that the Free National Movement's (FNM) core support was the highest at 30.5 per cent, followed by the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) at 23.7 per cent, and the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) at 16.5 per cent. A total of 12.2 per cent of the sample were undecided voters. Also the poll revealed that the PLP's swing voters constituted 6.6 per cent of the sample; the largest swing voter percentage. They were followed by the DNA ( who had 5.2 per cent swing voters ) and the FNM ( who had 3.7 per cent swing voters ). Therefore, the total support for the FNM was around 34.2 per cent, which was followed by the PLP's 30.3 per cent and the DNA's 21.7 per cent. If any of the two leading parties were to win the support of the entire 12.2 per cent undecided voters, they would win the general election. A question was asked during the polling process that went, According to you, which party will win the next election?. The results were that the FNM would ( at 32% ), the PLP would ( at 32% ) and the DNA would ( at 8% ) win the next general election. The poll also reported that 52% of the electorate was against reelecting the incumbent Free National Movement, while 55.9% opposed electing the PLP and 64.5% rejected electing the DNA.[3]

Results

The opposition Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) won a majority in a landslide election victory, taking 30 of the 38 seats in parliament.[2] PLP leader Perry Christie, who had previously served as Prime Minister, was sworn into office on 8 May 2012, at approximately 4 pm.[2]

Outgoing Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham announced his retirement from politics following the defeat of his Free National Movement (FNM).[2] He had served in Parliament for thirty-five years, winning re-election seven times, including 2012.[2] Ingraham told supporters, "I gave it the best I could and now I've been rejected by the public of the Bahamas...We had no indication from the general public they would go that way."[2] Ingraham then confirmed his retirement, saying, "I am going to go back to my little law office and enjoy life with my family."[2]

The Democratic National Alliance lost the only seat it held in the prior parliament (that of Branville McCartney, its founder and only MP) and elected no candidates.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Progressive Liberal Party75,81548.6229+11
Free National Movement65,63342.099–14
Democratic National Alliance13,2258.480New
Bahamas Constitution Party960.060New
Independents1,1770.7500
Total155,946100.0038–3
Valid votes155,94699.91
Invalid/blank votes1420.09
Total votes156,088100.00
Registered voters/turnout171,93290.78
Source: Caribbean Elections

Key

Electoral District
Total votes
Candidates Incumbent
FNM PLP DNA Other
Bain & Grants Town
4,962
John Bostwick II
1,754 (35.35%)
Bernard Nottage
2,856 (57.56%)
Rodney Moncur
333 (6.71%)
Mario Clarke (IND)
19 (0.38%)
Bernard Nottage
Bamboo Town
4,952
Cassius Stuart
1,661 (33.54%)
Renward Wells
1,940 (39.18%)
Branville McCartney
1,022 (20.64%)
Craig Butler (IND)
329 (6.64%)
Branville McCartney
Carmichael
4,769
Darron Cash
2,063 (43.26%)
Daniel Johnson
2,157 (45.23%)
Theofanis Chochinamogulos
527 (11.05%)
Glen Rolle (IND)
22 (0.46%)
Desmond Bannister
Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador
1,480
Michael Pintard
693 (46.82%)
Philip "Brave" Davis
778 (52.57%)
Shawn Francis
9 (0.61%)
Philip Brave Davis
Central & South Abaco
2,967
Edison Key
1,490 (50.22%)
Gary Sawyer
1,235 (41.62%)
Roscoe Thompson
242 (8.16%)
Edison Key
Central & South Eleuthera
2,775
Howard Johnson
1,326 (47.78%)
Damian Gomez
1,392 (50.16%)
William Hunt
57 (2.05%)
James Ingraham
Central Grand Bahama
5,202
Neko Grant
2,505 (48.15%)
Julian Russell
2,354 (45.25%)
Howard Grant, Jr.
343 (6.59%)
new district
Centreville
4,853
Ella Lewis
1,601 (32.99%)
Perry Christie
2,950 (60.79%)
Celi Moss
302 (6.22%)
new district
East Grand Bahama
4,758
Peter Turnquest
2,239 (47.06%)
Tanisha Tynes
2,060 (43.30%)
Ferline Bridgewater-Thomas
402 (8.45%)
Philip Thomas (IND)
57 (1.20%)
new district
Elizabeth
4,372
Duane Sands
1,925 (44.03%)
Ryan Pinder
2,049 (46.87%)
Charlene Paul
385 (8.81%)
Jay Armbrister (IND)
13 (0.30%)
Ryan Pinder
Englerston
4,806
Caron Shepard
1,576 (32.79%)
Glenys Hanna Martin
2,962 (61.63%)
Nicholas Jacques
219 (4.56%)
S. Ali McIntosh (BCP)
18 (0.37%)
Paul Rolle (IND)
5 (0.10%)
C. Rashard Amahad (IND)
7 (0.15%)
Alexander Morley (IND)
19 (0.40%)
Glenys Hanna Martin
Exumas & Ragged Island
2,697
Phenton Neymour
1,235 (45.79%)
Anthony Moss
1,355 (50.24%)
Floyd Ambrister
94 (3.49%)
Colin Miller (BCP)
8 (0.30%)
Reginald Smith (IND)
5 (0.19%)
Anthony Moss
Fort Charlotte
4,620
Zhivargo Laing
1,975 (42.75%)
Andre Rollins
2,126 (46.02%)
Mark Humes
519 (11.23%)
Alfred Sears
Fox Hill
4,370
Shonell Ferguson
1,571 (35.95%)
Fred Mitchell
2,448 (56.02%)
Kendal Smith
351 (8.03%)
Fred Mitchell
Garden Hills
4,512
Brensil Rolle
1,913 (42.40%)
Kendal Major
2,181 (48.34%)
Kelphene Cunningham
382 (8.47%)
Paul Moss (IND)
36 (0.80%)
Brensil Rolle
Golden Gates
4,822
Winsome Miller
1,556 (32.27%)
Shane Gibson
2,831 (58.71%)
Allsworth Pickstock
435 (9.02%)
Shane Gibson
Golden Isles
4,614
Charles Maynard
1,813 (39.29%)
Michael Halkitis
2,220 (48.11%)
Farrell Goff
581 (12.59%)
Michael Halkitis
Killarney
4,598
Hubert Minnis
2,434 (52.94%)
Jerome Gomez
1,642 (35.71%)
Prodesta Moore
522 (11.35%)
Hubert Minnis
Long Island
1,729
Loretta Butler-Turner
979 (56.62%)
Alex Storr
531 (30.71%)
Mario Cartwright
219 (12.67%)
Lawrence Cartwright
Mangrove Cay & South Andros
2,037
Ronald Bostfield
532 (26.12%)
Picewell Forbes
794 (38.98%)
Wayde Forbes
85 (4.17%)
Whitney Bastian (IND)
626 (30.73%)
Picewell Forbes
Marathon
4,408
Heather Hunt
1,907 (43.26%)
Jerome Fitzgerald
2,164 (49.09%)
Karen Davis
337 (7.65%)
Earl Deveaux
Marco City
5,112
Norris Bain
2,287 (44.74%)
Gregory Moss
2,528 (49.45%)
Tolonus Sands
284 (5.56%)
Leslie Minus (IND)
13 (0.25%)
Zhivargo Laing
Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay
1,325
Sidney Collie
650 (49.06%)
V. Alfred Gray
672 (50.72%)
Jamarl Chea
3 (0.23%)
V. Alfred Gray
Montagu
4,750
Richard Lightbourn
2,227 (46.88%)
Frank Smith
1,999 (42.08%)
Benjamin Albury
514 (10.82%)
Graham Weatherford (IND)
10 (0.21%)
Loretta Turner
Mount Moriah
4,746
Tommy Turnquest
2,013 (42.41%)
Arnold Forbes
2,262 (47.66%)
Wayne Munroe
471 (9.92%)
Tommy Turnquest
Nassau Village
4,692
Basil Moss
1,518 (32.35%)
Dion Smith
2,308 (49.19%)
Christopher Mortimer
834 (17.77%)
Simon Smith (BCP)
32 (0.68%)
new district
North Abaco
4,130
Hubert Ingraham
2,235 (54.12%)
Renardo Curry
1,856 (44.94%)
Sonith Lockhart
39 (0.94%)
Hubert Ingraham
North Andros & Berry Islands
2,445
Desmond Bannister
1,168 (47.77%)
Perry Gomez
1,192 (48.75%)
Randy Butler
85 (3.48%)
Vincent Peet
North Eleuthera
3,520
Theo Neilly
1,787 (50.77%)
Clay Sweeting
1,686 (47.90%)
George Taylor
47 (1.34%)
Alvin Smith
Pineridge
4,637
Kwasi Thompson
1,808 (38.99%)
Michael Darville
2,635 (56.83%)
Osman Johnson
194 (4.18%)
James Thompson
Pinewood
4,419
Byron Woodside
1,763 (39.90%)
Khaalis Rolle
2,231 (50.49%)
Wellington Woods
409 (9.26%)
Elkin Sutherland (IND)
16 (0.36%)
Byron Woodside
Seabreeze
4,556
Carl Bethel
1,897 (41.64%)
Hope Strachan
2,095 (45.98%)
Alfred Poitier
543 (11.92%)
Brenda T. Harris (BCP)
21 (0.46%)
Carl Bethel
South Beach
4,450
Monique Gomez
1,785 (40.11%)
Cleola Hamilton
2,029 (45.60%)
Wallace Rolle
619 (13.91%)
James Williams (BCP)
17 (0.38%)
Phenton Neymour
Southern Shores
4,342
Kenyatta Gibson
1,762 (40.58%)
Kendrick Dorsett
2,080 (47.90%)
Madeline Sawyer
500 (11.52%)
new district
St. Anne's
4,337
Hubert Chipman
2,348 (54.14%)
Gregory Burrows
1,532 (35.32%)
Prince Smith
457 (10.54%)
Brent Symonette
Tall Pines
4,451
Karen Butler
1,549 (34.80%)
Leslie Miller
2,516 (56.53%)
Dario Terrelli
386 (8.67%)
new district
West Grand Bahama & Bimini
5,191
Pakesia Parker
2,233 (43.02%)
Obediah Wilchcombe
2,877 (55.42%)
Rodger Rolle
81 (1.56%)
Obediah Wilchcombe
Yamacraw
4,522
Dion Foulkes
1,856 (41.04%)
Melanie Griffin
2,292 (50.69%)
Maurice Smith
374 (8.27%)
Melanie Griffin

Source = http://www.bahamaselections.com/BahamasElections2012ResultsSummary.pdf

References

  1. The Bahamas General Election Results - 7 May 2012 Caribbean Elections
  2. Charles, Jacqueline (8 May 2012). "Bahamas swears in new leader as ex-prime minister calls the quits". Miami Herald. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  3. Dames, Candia. "FNM and PLP in Statistical dead heat."The Guardian Business. 29 March 2012.n. pag.Web. 15 April 2012
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.