Local Government Fact File
Published:Tuesday | November 8, 2016 | 12:00 AM
- The very first parish council election, held on Thursday, October 23, 1947, was won by Independent candidates.
- This also represents the only time that any independent political entity claimed an election victory in Jamaica.
- The vote totals were: Independents 88,111; PNP 68,784; JLP; 62,285.
- Of the 198 constituencies, the box score was: Independents 88; JLP 56; PNP 52.
- The breakdown of the numbers only accounts for 196 candidates, due to one candidate in St Thomas declaring himself a farmer candidate and thereby coming under the classification of 'Other Parties', thus having a category for himself.
- The outstanding constituency of Sheffield in Westmoreland cancelled the polls due to death.
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- Since 1951, no independent party or candidates outside of the JLP and PNP have received more than five per cent of the total ballots.
- Some instances saw low percentages such as 0.76% in 1969; 0.03% in 1977; 0.38% in 1981.
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- Registered voters hit the one million mark on March 6, 1990 for the first time in local government history. Registered voters totaled 1,120,205. This reflected an increase of 30,906 (2.8 %) voters from the general election held the previous year.