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Jamaica Local Government Election 2024
Who Won?

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by Venesha Johnson | Associate Writer

The local government election has been the talk of the town! And what a (somewhat) chaotic one it was. Scheduled for Monday, February 26, the 2024 Local Government Elections have been highly anticipated since Nomination Day on Thursday, February 8, when candidates officially entered the electoral fray.

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Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Hon. Desmond McKenzie, set the stage for this electoral event during an address at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James on Thursday, February 1, emphasising the significance of citizen participation in shaping local governance.

The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) won most of the Municipal Corporations in the most recent local government elections, held in 2016. Since then, the legally mandated “every four-year” election has been postponed 3 times, since November 2020, because of the COVID-19 epidemic.

In the run-up to the elections, candidates from our major political parties, JLP and PNP, engaged in spirited campaigns, canvassing neighbourhoods, and outlining their visions for local development. Issues such as infrastructure improvement, healthcare accessibility, education reforms, and economic revitalisation have been at the forefront of discussions, reflecting Jamaican constituents' diverse needs and aspirations. These are the issues that we as citizens have been crying out to be addressed.

The intensity of the campaigning during the past few weeks has been unprecedented, with political analysts describing it as a high-stakes election, foreshadowing the forthcoming general election expected by the end of 2025.

Both Prime Minister Andrew Holness, leader of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), and Opposition Leader Mark Golding, president of the People's National Party (PNP), have been actively involved in rallying support for their respective parties.

What Is The Local Government Election?

Local elections serve as vital pillars of Jamaica's democratic framework, enabling us the citizens to elect representatives who directly address our immediate needs and priorities at the local level. These elections complement the broader scope of general elections, which determine the composition of the national parliament and have far-reaching implications for national governance. Let’s take a deeper look at the difference between the two.

Local Election vs. General Election: Understanding the Difference

While local and general elections play integral roles in Jamaica's democratic system, they differ in scope and focus.

Local Elections:

  • Local elections primarily determine the composition of municipal councils, parish councils, and municipal corporations.
  • Candidates contest specific electoral divisions within their respective constituencies, focusing on local issues and concerns.
  • The outcomes of local elections directly impact the governance and administration of communities, influencing policies related to infrastructure, public services, and local development initiatives.
  • These elections are vital for fostering grassroots democracy and enabling citizens to elect representatives who directly address their immediate needs and priorities at the local level.

General Elections:

General elections determine the composition of the national parliament, including the House of Representatives and the Senate.

  • Candidates compete at the constituency level, vying for seats in the House of Representatives to represent their constituencies at the national level.
  • The outcomes of general elections shape the composition of the government, determining the party or coalition that forms the majority and consequently appoints the Prime Minister.
  • General elections have broader implications for national governance, as elected representatives formulate and enact legislation, oversee government functions, and shape policies affecting the entire country.

For this local election, there were 6,726 polling stations across 2,148 locations The voter turnout, was reported at 22.93% as of 3 p.m., increasing to 29.6% by the end of the night. This low turnout is rather disappointing considering that we have around 2 million eligible voters. The heavy turnout of campaigners over the past few weeks was certainly not reflected at the polling stations.

Amidst the democratic exercise, adherence to electoral regulations and the peaceful conduct of voters and candidates remain paramount.

The electoral process is under close observation by both local observer groups such as Citizens Action for Free & Fair Elections (CAFFE) and international bodies like the Organization of American States (OAS) and the British High Commission, ensuring transparency and accountability.

Results of Jamaica Local Government Election 2024

But now let’s talk about the results. As the ballots were counted and reported throughout the day, there was general confusion and uncertainty about which party was taking the lead. It was a rollercoaster.

However, even though the recount is still underway, preliminary results indicate that the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has won this local government election.

They were declared winners of 7 municipal corporations, while the PNP was declared the winners of 4. Both parties are currently tied in the Kingston and St Andrew and Clarendon municipals.

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Return to Jamaican Election In Jamaica (2020) from Jamaican Local Government Election 
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References & Sources For Jamaica Local Government Election 2024

  1. Polls closed in local government elections (2024) News | Jamaica Star. Available at: https://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20240226/polls-closed-local-government-elections (Accessed: 28 February 2024).
  2. Richards, A. (2024) Jamaica votes in local government election today: Loop Jamaica, Loop News. Available at: https://jamaica.loopnews.com/content/jamaica-votes-local-government-election-today (Accessed: 28 February 2024).

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