1973 Guyanese general election

General elections were held in Guyana on 17 July 1973.[1] The result was a victory for the People's National Congress, which won 37 of the 53 seats. However, the PNC's victory was the result of fraud as the government had direct control of the elections.[2] Voter turnout was 81.0%.[1]

1973 Guyanese general election

← 1968 17 July 1973 1980 →

53 seats in the National Assembly
27 seats needed for a majority
Registered431,575
Turnout81.00%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Forbes Burnham Cheddi Jagan Marcellus Fielden Singh
Party PNC PPP LPTUF
Seats won 37 14 2
Seat change Increase7 Decrease5 Decrease2
Popular vote 243,803 92,374 9,580
Percentage 70.10% 26.56% 2.75%
Swing Increase14.29pp Decrease9.93pp Decrease4.66pp

Prime Minister before election

Forbes Burnham
PNC

Elected Prime Minister

Forbes Burnham
PNC

Electoral system

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The National Assembly had 53 members, elected by proportional representation in a nationwide constituency.[3]

This was the last election in Guyana where the entire National Assembly was elected by direct popular vote until 2001, as a new constitution adopted in 1980 provided for an expanded Assembly of 65 members: 53 elected under the old system, ten appointed by the regional councils created by the 1980 constitution (to be elected at the same date as the National Assembly), and two by the National Congress of Local Democratic Organs (an umbrella body representing these regional councils, also created by the 1980 constitution).[4]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's National Congress243,80370.1037+7
People's Progressive Party92,37426.5614–5
Liberator PartyUnited Force9,5802.752–2
People's Democratic Movement2,0530.590New
Total347,810100.00530
Valid votes347,81099.49
Invalid/blank votes1,7800.51
Total votes349,590100.00
Registered voters/turnout431,57581.00
Source: Nohlen

References

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  1. ^ a b Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p363 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. ^ Nohlen, p355-359
  3. ^ Guyana 1973 Inter-Parliamentary Union
  4. ^ Rajendra Chandisingh (1982) "Guyana's new Constitution and the elections of 1980: A case of people's power?" Law and Politics in Africa, Asia and Latin America, vol. 15, no. 2, pp145–161