General elections were held in British Honduras on 26 March 1961. They were the first following a constitutional review, which had increased the number of elected seats from 9 to 18, whilst a further five members would be appointed by the Governor and two would be officials.Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p100 The result was a victory for the ruling People's United Party, which won all 18 seats.General Elections 1961, Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission. (accessed 19 November 2014)
The National Independence Party, founded in 1958 by a merger of the two previous major opposition parties, the Honduran Independence Party and the National Party, contested general elections for the first time in 1961. A third party formed by former PUP and NP members, the Christian Democratic Party, also fielded candidates. Both parties failed to win seats.
Results
By division DivisionElectorateTurnout%Political partyCandidateVotes%Albert2,4242,05884.9People's United PartyFrederick Westby42.8Christian Democratic PartyNicholas Pollard37.9National Independence PartyFloss Casasola18.7Belize Rural North1,4061,04174.0People's United PartyFred Hunter62.2Christian Democratic PartyArthur Wade25.4National Independence PartyMarcelo Casasola10.3Belize Rural South1,05278174.2People's United PartyLouis Sylvestre81.3National Independence PartyTodd Brown15.6Cayo North1,2921,04280.7People's United PartyHector Silva70.5National Independence PartyManuel Figueroa27.0Cayo South1,17496281.9People's United PartySantiago Perdomo61.3Christian Democratic PartyEduardo Espat30.0National Independence PartyPedro Mena5.8Collet2,7062,16880.1People's United PartyAlbert Cattouse44.6National Independence PartyEdward Flowers43.9Christian Democratic PartyMervin Hulse9.3Corozal North1,4731,14177.5People's United PartySantiago Ricalde79.9National Independence PartyGualberto Martinez18.1Corozal South1,48095664.6People's United PartyJesus Ken85.7National Independence PartyVictor Greenwood10.5Fort George1,4221,22586.1People's United PartyAlexander Hunter60.2National Independence PartyHerbert Fuller28.5Christian Democratic PartyDenbigh Jeffery10.8Freetown1,8501,62587.8People's United PartyGeorge Cadle Price67.1National Independence PartySabino Savery24.8Christian Democratic PartyErenst Cain7.6Mesopotamia2,5011,99379.7People's United PartyC. L. B. Rogers62.4National Independence PartyErlean Casasola28.4Christian Democratic PartyEdward Usher8.6Orange Walk North1,3771,08979.1People's United PartyVictor Orellana57.6National Independence PartyEloy Escalante40.7Orange Walk South92668073.4People's United PartyGuadalupe Pech81.4National Independence PartyIgnacio Vega14.4Pickstock1,6801,41884.4People's United PartyGwendolyn Lizarraga68.6National Independence PartyJaime Staines16.3Christian Democratic PartyClare Gill13.3IndependentRobert Taylor0.7IndependentJames Ysaguirre0.4Stann Creek Rural1,8561,34372.4People's United PartyDavid McKoy72.3National Independence PartyHarry Stanley23.7Stann Creek Town1,8161,49382.2People's United PartyAllan Arthurs52.3National Independence PartyPaul Guerrero44.2Toledo North54737468.4People's United PartyFaustino Zuniga55.6National Independence PartyCharles Westby42.2Toledo South94173277.8People's United PartySam Vernon48.0National Independence PartyFrancis Martinez39.5Christian Democratic PartyAlan Woodeye11.5
References