JLP to closely monitor official count following shock losses

Chairman of the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) Manifesto and Achievements Committee, Kamina Johnson Smith, says the party will be paying close attention to the official count of Wednesday’s general election results, particularly in constituencies where unexpected defeats occurred.

Among those being scrutinised are Portland Eastern, where Ann-Marie Vaz was narrowly defeated by the People’s National Party’s (PNP) Isat Buchanan by 135 votes, and St James Southern, where political newcomer Nekeisha Burchell unseated the JLP’s Homer Davis by a margin of 207 votes.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Johnson Smith said the outcomes in several marginal seats were inconsistent with the JLP’s internal projections.

The party is also keeping tabs on results in Kingston Central, where the PNP’s Steve McGregor edged out Donovan Williams by just 12 votes, and St Mary South Eastern, where Christopher Brown defeated Dr Norman Dunn by a razor-thin margin of 11 votes.

Despite the narrow losses, Johnson Smith emphasised that the JLP remains confident in its majority.

“We are quite confident, however, that the 34 seats which the Jamaica Labour Party won, we won them outright and, therefore, they are unlikely to shift. And we, therefore, are in a mode of looking at what can be added, as opposed to moving in any other direction,” she said.

34 OF 63

The JLP emerged victorious in 34 of 63 seats, securing a historic third consecutive term in office during the country’s 19th general election. Preliminary figures show the party also won the popular vote, with 413,502 ballots cast, surpassing the PNP by 10,311 votes.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) reported 39.5 per cent voter turnout, an increase from 37.9 per cent in 2020 but still significantly below the historic 86.91 per cent turnout in 1980, the highest on record.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica noted that there was a 39.5 per cent voter turnout in the 2025 general election.

However, JLP campaign spokesperson Dr Dana Morris Dixon urged the public to view the turnout figures in a broader context, noting that about 100,000 more people voted in this election than in 2020.

“As we look at the voter turnout data, I want to remind everyone that we need to look at it in a much more broader sense, so that we actually take away from it what it is really telling us,” she said.

Meanwhile, the party’s campaign chairman, Dr Christopher Tufton, expressed gratitude for the vote of confidence that the Jamaican people has placed in the JLP, committing to governing with humility.

“We will continue to try harder to work for the people of Jamaica, We know that many have benefited from our stewardship our the last five years, and the plans that we have, we intend to stay committed to those plans going forward over the next five years,” he said.

And, pointing to decreasing levels of unemployment and crime, as well as a falling debt-to-GDP ratio, Johnson Smith reiterated the JLP’s pledge to continue to work for the benefit of all Jamaicans.

“We are not satisfied with any of these statistics. We want to ensure that we do more for you and we are committed and energised to do so. You will not find an administration of complacency in us. You will not find an administration of arrogance in us. What you will find is a committed team that is looking forward to doing more in a real sense,” she said.

sashana.small@gleanerjm.com