1954 British Honduras general election

none May 2026 1954 British Honduras general election British Honduras parliamentary no 70.41% 1948 British Honduras general election 1948 1957 British Honduras general election 1957 All 9 seats in the Legislative Assembly 28 April 1954 PUP Leigh Richardson (acting) 1953 People's United Party Belize West 8 9,461 65.04% NP 00FFFF Harrison Courtenay 1951 NP Did not run 1 3,342 22.98% Majority party leader N/A Leigh Richardson People's United Party General elections were held in British Honduras on 28 April 1954, the first held under universal suffrage.Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p100 978-0-19-928357-6 The new constitution replaced the Legislative Council with a Legislative Assembly, which had nine elected members, three officials and three appointed members. The result was a decisive victory for the pro-independence People's United Party, which won eight of the nine seats in a coalition with the General Workers' Union. The pro-colonial National Party won the remaining seat, with NP candidate Charles Westby prevailing in the Toledo constituency.http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/singlefile.php?cid=14&lid=741 General Elections 1954 Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission 19 November 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20141129041317/http://www.elections.gov.bz/modules/wfdownloads/singlefile.php?cid=14&lid=741 2014-11-29 Background Prior to 1954, there were only six elected seats in the British Honduras Legislative Assembly. Eligibility to vote was limited to British subjects, that had lived in the colony for at least a year, whom owned property worth over $96, paid more than $6 in property tax or had an annual salary of over $300.https://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/americas/BZ/belize-a-framework-for-voter-education-belize A Framework for Voter Education Belize Elections Department 13–14 2026-05-01 In March 1954, a new constitution for British Honduras was introduced, guaranteeing universal suffrage and nine directly elected seats in the Legislative Assembly. There would also be 3 seats for people nominated by the Governor of British Honduras and 3 for paid officials.https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/280720899 British Honduras Elections Maitland Mercury Trove 1954-05-08 2026-05-01 The two main camps contesting the election were the anti-colonial People's United Party with the General Worker's Union and the pro-British National Party with independents.Kennedy Paul P. BRITISH HONDURAS AWAITS ELECTION; Crown Colony Unusually Calm as It Prepares for Major Vote on Wednesday The New York Times 25 April 1954 2026-05-01 https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/25/archives/british-honduras-awaits-election-crown-colony-unusually-calm-as-it.html Due to concerns about Communist influence from neighbouring South American countries,Communists in British Honduras 2026-05-01 12 Mar 1954 The Spectator https://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/12th-march-1954/4/communists-in-british-honduras the Governor Patrick Muir Renison put out a broadcast threatening to cancel the elections if "emotionalism" did not cease. He later stated at a news conference that: "the election thus far has been singularly free of foreign intervention." Results People's United Party 9461 8 National Party 3342 1 aqua Independents 1743 0 100 20801 Elections and Boundaries Department By division The results for each division is as follows:https://www.belize-glessimaresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/bsk-pdf-manager/2020/01/Outcome-of-Belize-General-Elections-1954-to-1993.pdf Outcome of Belize General Elections 1954 to 1993 Glessima Research 2026-04-15 DivisionTurnoutPolitical partyCandidateVotes%Belize North2,474People's United PartyGeorge Price75.0IndependentJohn Smith25.0Belize Rural1,445People's United PartyHerman Jex51.8IndependentFred Hunter39.0National PartyMBL Wilson9.3Belize SouthMargin is Surprise The New York Times 2026-05-01 30 April 1954 https://www.nytimes.com/1954/04/30/archives/margin-is-surprise.html 1,854People's United PartyPhillip Goldson52.7National PartyHerbert Fuller47.3Belize West2,626People's United PartyLeigh Richardson71.7National PartyLionel Francis22.5IndependentFrederick Westby5.8Cayo1,300People's United PartyEnrique De Paz85.5IndependentS.A. McKinstry14.5Corozal1,111People's United PartyJose Leon Chin63.2IndependentWilliam Gegg36.8Orange Walk878People's United PartyGeorge Flowers64.6National PartyWilliam George35.4Stann Creek2,023People's United PartyNathaniel Cacho60.9National PartyCatarino Benguche39.1Toledo935National PartyCharles Westby54.0People's United PartyGeorge Gardiner46.0 References British Honduras Category:General elections in Belize Category:1954 in British Honduras British Honduras British Honduras Category:April 1954 in North America