Modern Electoral History of Grenada (Since Universal Suffrage, 1951)
Elections in Grenada are held to select members of the House of Representatives, the elected lower chamber of the country’s bicameral Parliament. General elections are conducted using a first-past-the-post electoral system in 15 single-member constituencies and must be held at intervals not exceeding five years. Grenada operates under a Westminster-style [1]parliamentary democracy within a constitutional monarchy, with universal adult suffrage for citizens aged 18 and over. Modern electoral history in Grenada began with the first election under universal adult suffrage in 1951. Elections continued through the colonial and Associated State periods, and after independence in 1974. Between 1979 and 1983, there were no elections due to the New Jewel Movement revolution and suspension of parliamentary democracy. General elections resumed in 1984 after democratic governance was restored.[2]
List of General Elections, Winners, and Major Parties
[edit | edit source]1951 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 10 October 1951
- Winning Party: Grenada Mental and Manual Workers Union
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Notes: First election with universal suffrage; Legislative Council had limited powers.[3]
1954 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 20 September 1954
- Winning Party: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Notes: GULP won majority seats amid few fully organized parties.
1957 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 24 September 1957
- Winning Party: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Main Competitors: GNP (Herbert Blaize), People’s Democratic Movement
- Notes: First election with multiple parties contesting.
1961 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Winning Party: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Notes: GULP regained legislative dominance. (General info from regional summaries; exact seat data recorded but not shown here.)
1962 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 13 September 1962
- Winner: Grenada National Party (GNP)
- Leader: Herbert Blaize
- Notes: GNP won a plurality and Blaize became Chief Minister/Premier.
1967 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 24 August 1967
- Winner: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Main Opponent: Grenada National Party (GNP) - Herbert Blaize
- Notes: GULP returned to power.
1972 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 28 February 1972
- Winning Party: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Main Opponent: Grenada National Party (GNP) - Herbert Blaize
- Notes: GULP remained dominant prior to independence.[4]
1976 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 7 December 1976
- Winning Party: Grenada United Labour Party (GULP)
- Leader: Eric Matthew Gairy
- Competing Coalition: People’s Alliance (New JEWEL Movement [Maurice Bishop], Grenada National Party [Herbert Blaize], United People’s Party)
- Notes: GULP won with 9 of 15 seats; the opposition coalition won 6 seats. Elections were controversial and criticized for intimidation.
Post-Revolution and Modern Elections
[edit | edit source]Note: There were no general elections from 1979–1983 due to the New Jewel Movement revolution and suspension of democratic institutions.[5]
1984 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 3 December 1984
- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Herbert Blaize
- Competing Parties: GULP (Eric Gairy), Maurice Bishop Patriotic Movement (MBPM)
- Seats Won: 14/15
- Notes: First election after restoration of democracy following the 1983 intervention.
1990 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 13 March 1990
- Winning Party: National Democratic Congress (NDC)
- Leader: Nicholas Brathwaite
- Major Competitors: GULP (Eric Gairy), New National Party (NNP)- Keith Mitchell), National Party (NP – Ben Jones)
- Seats: NDC 7/15
- Notes: Reflected desire for political renewal.
1995 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 20 June 1995
- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Keith Mitchell
- Main Opponents: National Democratic Congress (NDC – George Brizan), GULP (Eric Gairy)
- Notes: NNP regained power.
1999 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Keith Mitchell
- Notes: NNP won all 15 seats.
2003 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Keith Mitchell
- Main Opponent: National Democratic Congress (NDC – Tillman Thomas)
- Notes: NNP maintained dominance.
2008 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Winning Party: National Democratic Congress (NDC)
- Leader: Tillman Thomas
- Main Opponent: New National Party (NNP)
- Notes: NDC focused on economic opportunity and cost-of-living issues.
2013 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 13 March 2013
- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Keith Mitchell
- Seats Won: 15/15
- Main Opponent: National Democratic Congress (NDC – Tillman Thomas)
- Notes: Clean sweep victory.
2018 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 13 March 2018
- Winning Party: New National Party (NNP)
- Leader: Keith Mitchell
- Seats: 15/15
- Main Opponent: National Democratic Congress (NDC – Nazim Burke)
- Notes: Continued NNP dominance.
2022 General Election
[edit | edit source]- Date: 23 June 2022
- Winning Party: National Democratic Congress (NDC)
- Leader: Dickon Mitchell
- Main Opponent: New National Party (NNP- Keith Mitchell)
- Seats: NDC 9 | NNP 6
- Notes: NDC returned to power after a period of NNP dominance