1962 Grenadian general election

General elections were held in Grenada on 13 September 1962.[1] Herbert Blaize's Grenada National Party won six of the ten elected seats and Blaize was appointed Chief Minister for the second time. Blaize served as Head of Government until the next general election in August 1967, initially as Chief Minister until March 1967, and subsequently when Grenada became a fully internally autonomous Associated State, as Grenada's first Premier. Voter turnout was 73%.[2]

1962 Grenadian general election

← 1961 13 September 1962 1967 →

10 of the 13 seats in the Legislative Council
6 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader Herbert Blaize Eric Gairy
Party GNP GULP
Last election 26.67%, 2 seats 53.35%, 8 seats
Seats won 6 4
Seat change Increase4 Decrease4
Popular vote 11.341 9.705
Percentage 53.73% 45.98%
Swing Increase27.06pp Decrease7.37pp

Results by constituency

Chief Minister before election

James Lloyd
(Administrator)

Elected Chief Minister

Herbert Blaize
GNP

Background

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Grenada's Administrator, the Queens representative on the island, James Lloyd suspended the constitution, dissolved the Legislative Council, and removed Eric Gairy as Chief Minister in April 1962 following allegations concerning the Gairy's financial impropriety. Gairy had been Chief Minister for 10 months since August 1961 and his party the Grenada United Labour Party held a majority in the Legislative Council following the 1961 elections.[3][4] The negative publicity surrounding the removal of Gairy led to a significant fall in support for GULP.

Electoral system

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The Legislative Council consisted of ten elected members, the principal law officer (ex officio) and two nominated members.[5]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Grenada National Party11,34153.736+4
Grenada United Labour Party9,70545.984–4
Independents610.2900
Total21,107100.00100
Valid votes21,10791.53
Invalid/blank votes1,9538.47
Total votes23,060100.00
Registered voters/turnout31,76672.59
Source: Nohlen

References

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  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p307 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. ^ Nohlen, p310
  3. ^ Herbert Augustus Blaize The Grenada Revolution Online
  4. ^ Steele, BA (2003) Grenada. A History of its People p360 ISBN 0-333-93053-3
  5. ^ Grenada: Report for the Year. 1957. p. 51.