General elections were held in Jamaica on 30 October 1980.Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p430 The balance of power in the 60-seat Jamaican House of Representatives was dramatically-shifted. Prior to the vote, the People's National Party (PNP), led by Prime Minister Michael Manley, had a 47–13 majority over the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), led by Edward Seaga. With the loss by 38 PNP incumbents to their JLP challengers, Seaga's party captured a 51–9 majority and Seaga replaced Manley as Prime Minister of Jamaica. Voter turnout was 87%.
Conduct The elections were marked by gun violence, exacerbated by economic pressure related to IMF austerity, lay-offs of public workers, and blackouts due to a national electric strike. 153 elderly women died in the Eventide Home fire on 20 May, which was suspected, but not proven, to have been started by politically-motivated arsonists.Remembering the Eventide Home fire victims Jamaica Observer, 21 May 2018
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