Grenadian general election, 1976
Encyclopedia
General elections were held in Grenada
on 7 December 1976. The result was a victory for the Grenada United Labour Party
of Eric Gairy
, which won nine of the 15 seats, whilst the opposition People's Alliance (a coalition of the New Jewel Movement
, the Grenada National Party
and the United People's Party. However, the elections were marred by fraud (and branded fraudulent by international observers), as Gairy's secret police, known as the Mongoose Gang, had been threatening the opposition. Voter turnout was 65.2%.
Three years later Gairy was overthrown by the New Jewel Movement, a move which was supported by the majority of the population.
Grenada
Grenada is an island country and Commonwealth Realm consisting of the island of Grenada and six smaller islands at the southern end of the Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea...
on 7 December 1976. The result was a victory for the Grenada United Labour Party
Grenada United Labour Party
-History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome...
of Eric Gairy
Eric Gairy
Sir Eric Matthew Gairy was the first Prime Minister of Grenada, serving from Grenada`s independence in 1974 until his overthrow in a coup by Maurice Bishop in 1979...
, which won nine of the 15 seats, whilst the opposition People's Alliance (a coalition of the New Jewel Movement
New Jewel Movement
The New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education, and Liberation, or New JEWEL Movement, was a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party in the Caribbean island nation of Grenada...
, the Grenada National Party
Grenada National Party
-History:The party was founded in 1955 and took its support from the urban middle class and landowners. It first contested national elections in 1957 when it won two of the eight seats, tied with the Grenada United Labour Party and the People's Democratic Movement. Its leader Herbert Blaize became...
and the United People's Party. However, the elections were marred by fraud (and branded fraudulent by international observers), as Gairy's secret police, known as the Mongoose Gang, had been threatening the opposition. Voter turnout was 65.2%.
Three years later Gairy was overthrown by the New Jewel Movement, a move which was supported by the majority of the population.
Results
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grenada United Labour Party Grenada United Labour Party -History:The party was founded by Eric Gairy in 1950. It was the only party to contest the first elections held under universal suffrage in 1951, and won six of the eight seats. The 1954 elections saw the same outcome... |
21,108 | 51.7 | 9 | |
| People's Alliance | 18,886 | 46.3 | 6 | New |
| Independents | 803 | 2.0 | 0 | New |
| Invalid/blank votes | 399 | |||
| Total | 41,196 | 100 | 15 | 0 |
| Source: Nohlen | ||||