Barbados General Election
Results - 28 May 1986 |
General elections were held in Barbados on 28 May 1986. Elections were held for all 27 seats in the House of Assembly using a first-past-the-post system.
Electoral System
The 27 members of the House of Assembly were elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting. There was no fixed election date in effect in Barbados at this time; hence, the choice of election date is the prerogative of the Prime Minister.
Background
On 6 May 1986, the Governor-General issued a proclamation dissolving Parliament and issued Writs appointing 13 May 1986 as Nominated Day and Wednesday, 28 May 1986 as Election Day. The general election was held three months before they were due under the Constitution.
There were 176,739 registered electors, 81,805 males and 94,934 females.
Political Parties & Candidates
As in the past, primary contenders in the 1986 poll were the ruling Barbados Labour Party (BLP), headed by outgoing Prime Minister Bernard St. John, and the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP), led by Errol Barrow. The two parties differed slightly on domestic policies, but shared similar pro-Western foreign policies. The DLP had pledged to reduce government spending, income tax and utility and petrol prices.
A total of 63 candidates from three political parties contested the election. The BLP and DLP both presented a full slate of 27 candiates. The Workers Party of Barbados (WPB) presented two candidates. There were also four independent candidates.
Results
On polling day, the socialist DLP won a landslide victory, gaining 24 of the 27 House of Assembly seats. The win ended a decade of rule by the more conservative BLP and marked the return to office of Barrow, who had previously been Prime Minister from 1961 to 1976.
St. John of the Barbados Labor Party lost his own seat to Robert Morris of the Democratic Labor Party. Deputy Prime Minister Lionel Craig, who switched districts from the safe seat he had won in the last three elections, was defeated in a confrontation with Erskine Sandiford, Barrow's deputy.
Errol Barrow was sworn in on 29 May 1986 and announced his Cabinet on 3 June 1986.
Voter Turnout
Voter turnout was 76.70%.
Post-Election
Following the May 1986 general elections, Prime Minister Errol Barrow died on 1 June 1987 and was succeeded by his Deputy Erskine Sandiford was became the Fourth Prime Minister of Barbados. Sandiford pledged to continue Barrow’s economic and social policies, particularly tax reforms.
In February 1989, four DLP members left the party to form a new one known as the National Democratic Party (NDP); Richard Haynes, its head, was subsequently appointed as leader of the parliamentary opposition. |
Dissolution of House |
Tue, 6 May 1986 |
 |
Nomination Day |
Tue, 13 May 1986 |
 |
Polling Day |
Wed, 28 May 1986 |
 |
First Meeting of Parliament |
- |
 |
|
|
|
|
BLP |
 |
27 candidates |
3 seats |
54,367 votes (40.4%) |
|
DLP |
 |
27 candidates |
24 seats |
80,050 votes (59.5%) |
|
OTHERS |
Minor
Parties & Independent Candidates |
|
6 candidates |
0 seats |
203 votes
(0.1%) |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Constituency |
|
Representative |
Party |
City of Bridgetown |
|
MILLER, Peter J.M. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael South |
|
SANDIFORD, Lloyd Erskine |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael East |
|
BLACKMAN, Donald G. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael South Central |
|
HAYNES, Richard Christopher |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael Central |
|
TROTMAN, Cardinal LeRoy |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael South East |
|
SIMMONS, Erskine A. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael North East |
|
BRATHWAITE, Leroy L. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael North |
|
GREAVES, Philip M. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael North West |
|
WEEKES, Lawson A. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael West |
|
TAITT, Branford M. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Michael West Central |
|
HALL, Wesley W. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
Christ Church West |
|
FORDE, Henry deBoulay |
Barbados Labour Party |
 |
Christ Church West Central |
|
KING, Maurice A. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
Christ Church East Central |
|
MORRIS, Robert L. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
Christ Church East |
|
BOURNE, Edgar |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Philip North |
|
FRANKLIN, Warwick O. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Philip South |
|
BLACKMAN, Harold A. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St George North |
|
WALKER, Cyril Valentine |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St George South |
|
BYER, Richard P. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St John |
|
BARROW, Errol Walton |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Joseph |
|
BARKER-WELCH, Maizie |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Thomas |
|
SIMMONS, David A.C. |
Barbados Labour Party |
 |
St James North |
|
PAYNE, Joseph J. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St James South |
|
SIMMONS, Neville Keith |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Peter |
|
ARTHUR, Owen Seymour |
Barbados Labour Party |
 |
St Andrew |
|
NEBLETT, Clifton A. |
Democratic Labour Party |
 |
St Lucy |
|
GREAVES, Edward Evelyn |
Democratic Labour Party |
|
|
Constituency |
|
Candidate |
Party |
Votes |
%Votes |
City of Bridgetown |
|
PETER J.M. MILLER  |
DLP |
2,217 |
53.72% |
|
Billie A. Miller |
BLP |
1,838 |
44.54% |
|
Lorenzo Coward |
WPB |
47 |
1.14% |
|
Lyle S. Carmichael |
IND |
25 |
0.61% |
 |
St. Michael South |
|
LLOYD E. SANDIFORD  |
DLP |
2,737 |
59.20% |
|
Lionel S. Craig |
BLP |
1,886 |
40.80% |
 |
St. Michael East |
|
DONALD G. BLACKMAN  |
DLP |
3,469 |
75.05% |
|
John A.R. Lynch |
BLP |
1,153 |
24.95% |
 |
St. Michael South Central |
|
RICHARD C. HAYNES  |
DLP |
3,064 |
66.80% |
|
Philip C. Goddard |
DLP |
1,523 |
33.20% |
 |
St. Michael Central |
|
CARDINAL L. TROTMAN  |
DLP |
2,520 |
56.88% |
|
Aaron Truss |
BLP |
1,910 |
43.12% |
 |
St. Michael South East |
|
ERSKINE A. SIMMONS  |
DLP |
3,128 |
60.71% |
|
DeLisle O. Bradshaw |
BLP |
2,024 |
39.29% |
 |
St. Michael North East |
|
LEROY L. BRATHWAITE  |
DLP |
2,533 |
61.45% |
|
Laurisford L. Sisnett |
BLP |
1,549 |
37.58% |
|
Gordon R. Parris |
WPB |
40 |
0.97% |
 |
St. Michael North |
|
PHILIP M. GREAVES  |
DLP |
3,105 |
59.95% |
|
Clyde A. Griffith |
BLP |
2,074 |
40.05% |
 |
St. Michael North West |
|
LAWSON A. WEEKES  |
DLP |
3,116 |
69.24% |
|
John E.D. Williams |
BLP |
1,384 |
30.76% |
 |
St. Michael West |
|
BRANDFORD M. TAITT  |
DLP |
2,956 |
70.89% |
|
Muhammud A. Nassar |
BLP |
1,162 |
27.87% |
|
David McD. Smith |
IND |
52 |
1.25% |
 |
St. Michael West Central |
|
WESLEY W. HALL  |
DLP |
2,782 |
61.12% |
|
Victor L. Johnson |
BLP |
1,770 |
38.88% |
 |
Christ Church West |
|
HENRY DeB. FORDE  |
BLP |
3,456 |
60.39% |
|
John N.R. Daniel |
DLP |
2,267 |
39.61% |
 |
Christ Church West Central |
|
MARICE A. KING  |
DLP |
4,229 |
64.51% |
|
O'Brien Trotman |
BLP |
2,327 |
35.49% |
 |
Christ Church East Central |
|
ROBERT L. MORRIS  |
DLP |
2,811 |
52.35% |
|
Harold B. St. John |
BLP |
2,559 |
47.65% |
 |
Christ Church East |
|
EDGAR BOURNE  |
DLP |
3,543 |
56.91% |
|
Richard L. Cheltenham |
BLP |
2,683 |
43.09% |
 |
St. Philip North |
|
WARWICK O. FRANKLIN  |
DLP |
3,079 |
64.29% |
|
George S. Griffith |
BLP |
1,694 |
35.37% |
|
Henderson L. Linton |
IND |
16 |
0.33% |
 |
St. Philip South |
|
HAROLD A. BLACKMAN  |
DLP |
3,575 |
65.31% |
|
Hutson R. Linton |
BLP |
1,899 |
34.69% |
 |
St. George North |
|
CYRIL V. WALKER  |
DLP |
3,069 |
59.86% |
|
Jack G. Odle |
BLP |
2,058 |
40.14% |
 |
St. George South |
|
RICHARD P. BYER  |
DLP |
2,583 |
52.12% |
|
Louis R. Tull |
BLP |
2,373 |
47.88% |
 |
St. John |
|
ERROL W. BARROW  |
DLP |
3,957 |
86.42% |
|
John F. Nichols |
BLP |
583 |
12.73% |
|
Evan McG. Webster |
IND |
39 |
0.85% |
 |
St. Joseph |
|
MAISIE I. BARKER-WELCH  |
DLP |
2,588 |
55.05% |
|
Charles L. Bolden |
BLP |
2,113 |
44.95% |
 |
St. Thomas |
|
DAVID A.C. SIMMONS  |
BLP |
3,070 |
54.05% |
|
Ronald J. Rock |
DLP |
2,610 |
45.95% |
 |
St. James North |
|
JOSEPH J. PAYNE  |
DLP |
2,482 |
52.47% |
|
Nigel A. Barrow |
BLP |
2,248 |
47.53% |
 |
St. James South |
|
NEVILLE K. SIMMONS  |
DLP |
3,098 |
65.89% |
|
John E. Jordan |
BLP |
1,604 |
34.11% |
 |
St. Peter |
|
OWEN S. ARTHUR  |
BLP |
3,219 |
52.83% |
|
Sybil F.P. Leacock |
DLP |
2,851 |
46.79% |
|
Martin R. Cadogan |
IND |
23 |
0.38% |
 |
St. Andrew |
|
CLIFTON A. NEBLETT  |
DLP |
2,575 |
57.58% |
|
Lloyd B. Brathwaite |
BLP |
1,897 |
42.42% |
 |
St. Lucy |
|
EDWARD E. GREAVES  |
DLP |
3,106 |
57.34% |
|
Roy E. Brathwaite |
BLP |
2,311 |
42.66% |
|
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|
Constituency |
Registered |
BLP |
DLP |
WPB |
IND |
Total Valid |
Invalid Votes |
Total Votes |
Turnout |
City of Bridgetown |
5,579 |
1,838 |
2,217 |
47 |
25 |
4,127 |
25 |
4,152 |
74.42% |
 |
St Michael South |
6,343 |
1,886 |
2,737 |
- |
- |
4,623 |
42 |
4,665 |
73.55% |
 |
St Michael East |
6,213 |
1,153 |
3,469 |
- |
- |
4,622 |
36 |
4,658 |
74.97% |
 |
St Michael South Central |
5,805 |
1,523 |
3,064 |
- |
- |
4,587 |
27 |
4,614 |
79.48% |
 |
St Michael Central |
5,796 |
1,910 |
2,520 |
- |
- |
4,430 |
23 |
4,453 |
76.83% |
 |
St Michael South East |
6,456 |
2,024 |
3,128 |
- |
- |
5,152 |
37 |
5,189 |
80.37% |
 |
St Michael North East |
6,135 |
1,549 |
2,533 |
40 |
- |
4,122 |
34 |
4,156 |
67.74% |
 |
St Michael North |
7,603 |
2,074 |
3,105 |
- |
- |
5,179 |
36 |
5,215 |
68.59% |
 |
St Michael North West |
5,941 |
1,384 |
3,116 |
- |
- |
4,500 |
28 |
4,528 |
76.22% |
 |
St Michael West |
5,703 |
1,162 |
2,956 |
- |
52 |
4,170 |
54 |
4,224 |
74.07% |
 |
St Michael West Central |
5,977 |
1,770 |
2,782 |
- |
- |
4,552 |
36 |
4,588 |
76.76% |
 |
Christ Church West |
7,971 |
3,456 |
2,267 |
- |
- |
5,723 |
43 |
5,766 |
72.34% |
 |
Christ Church West Central |
8,919 |
2,327 |
4,229 |
- |
- |
6,556 |
32 |
6,588 |
73.86% |
 |
Christ Church East Central |
7,260 |
2,559 |
2,811 |
- |
- |
5,370 |
20 |
5,390 |
74.24% |
 |
Christ Church East |
7,774 |
2,683 |
3,543 |
- |
- |
6,226 |
39 |
6,265 |
80.59% |
 |
St Philip North |
5,986 |
1,694 |
3,079 |
- |
16 |
4,789 |
70 |
4,859 |
81.17% |
 |
St Philip South |
7,043 |
1,899 |
3,575 |
- |
- |
5,474 |
28 |
5,502 |
78.12% |
 |
St George North |
6,595 |
2,058 |
3,069 |
- |
- |
5,127 |
33 |
5,160 |
78.24% |
 |
St George South |
6,026 |
2,373 |
2,583 |
- |
- |
4,956 |
36 |
4,992 |
82.84% |
 |
St John |
6,231 |
583 |
3,957 |
- |
- |
4,540 |
23 |
4,563 |
73.23% |
 |
St Joseph |
6,402 |
2,113 |
2,588 |
- |
- |
4,701 |
32 |
4,733 |
73.93% |
 |
St Thomas |
6,947 |
3,070 |
2,610 |
- |
- |
5,680 |
44 |
5,724 |
82.40% |
 |
St James North |
6,203 |
2,248 |
2,482 |
- |
- |
4,730 |
28 |
4,758 |
76.70% |
 |
St James South |
6,525 |
1,604 |
3,098 |
- |
- |
4,702 |
22 |
4,724 |
72.40% |
 |
St Peter |
7,278 |
3,219 |
2,851 |
- |
23 |
6,093 |
32 |
6,125 |
84.16% |
 |
St Andrew |
5,617 |
1,897 |
2,575 |
- |
- |
4,472 |
35 |
4,507 |
80.24% |
 |
St Lucy |
6,411 |
2,311 |
3,106 |
- |
- |
5,417 |
48 |
5,465 |
85.24% |
Total |
176,739 |
54,367 |
80,050 |
87 |
116 |
134,620 |
943 |
135,563 |
76.70% |
|
|
 |
Key |
|
Bajan Free Party |
|
NDP = National Democratic Party |
|
United Progressive Party |
|
Barbados Integrity Movement |
|
People's Democratic Congress |
|
WPB = Workers Party of Barbados |
|
Barbados
Labour Party |
|
PEP = People's Empowerment Party |
|
Independent Candidate |
|
Democratic
Labour Party |
|
PPA = People's Political Alliance |
|
*incumbent |
|
Kingdom Government of Barbados |
|
Solutions Barbados |
|
** Political Leader |
|
Sources |
Barbados Electoral and Boundaries Commission |
Bajan Free Party (2018). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/Bajan-Free-Party-BFP-HonAlex-MitchellEl-1767331239973521/ |
Barbados Integrity Movement (2018). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/barbdaosintegritymovement/?ref=py_c |
Barbados Labour Party. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.blp.org.bb/ |
Coalition of United Party. (2018) Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/alexmitchell.el/ |
Democratic Labour Party. (2018). Retrieved from http://dlpbarbados.org/site/ |
Solutions Barbados. (2018). Retrieved from https://solutionsbarbados.com/ |
United Progressive Party. (2018). Retrieved from https://uppbarbados.org/ |
Inter-Parliamentary Union. (2018). Barbados. Retrieved from http://archive.ipu.org/parline/reports/2025_E.htm |
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