# 2020 Jamaican general election

General elections were held in Jamaica on Thursday, 3 September 2020 to elect 63 members of Parliament. As the constitution stipulates a five-year parliamentary term, the next elections were not expected until between 25 February and 10 June 2021. However, Prime Minister Andrew Holness called early elections to ensure a united response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. On the advice of Holness, Governor General Patrick Allen dissolved Parliament on 13 August 2020.
The result was a landslide victory for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party, which received 57% of the vote and won 49 seats; the People's National Party remained the opposition party, losing 16 seats. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2019–2020 dengue fever epidemic, voter turnout was only 38%, the lowest in an election since 1983.

## Background

Prior to the election, the Jamaica Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, formed a majority government. The largest opposition party was the People's National Party, led by Peter Phillips. Either the Jamaica Labour Party or the People's National Party have been in power since universal suffrage was introduced in 1944.

## Electoral system

The 63 members of the House of Representatives are elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting. Voters must be 18 years and over and be a citizen of Jamaica or a Commonwealth citizen.
The leader of the party commanding a majority of support in the House of Representatives is called on by the Governor General to form a government as Prime Minister, while the leader of the largest group or coalition not in government becomes the Leader of the Opposition.

## Campaign

Only two parties registered to contest the election, the Jamaica Labour Party and the People's National Party, and each nominated candidates in all 63 constituencies. The two parties agreed to participate in three televised debates hosted by the Jamaica Debates Commission.
The People's National Party campaigned for a referendum on removing Queen Elizabeth II as head of state.
On 15 August 2020, the pastors of the Christian right Jamaica Progressive Party announced that the party would not contest the elections due to lack of time to prepare.

### Contesting parties

| Party | Party | Position | Ideology | Leader (since) | Last election | At dissolution | Contested |
| | Jamaica Labour Party | Centre-right | Nationalism Fiscal conservatism Populism Conservatism Republicanism Fabianism (originally) | Andrew Holness (January 2010) | 32 / 63 (51%) | 34 / 63 (54%) | 63 |
| | People's National Party | Centre-left | Social democracy Democratic socialism Populism Republicanism | Peter Phillips (November 2017) | 31 / 63 (49%) | 29 / 63 (46%) | 63 |

### Slogans and songs

| Party | Party | Slogan | Official song |
| | JLP | "Build back stronger." | #GreenLight |
| | PNP | "Building your Jamaica." | Building Your Jamaica: #VotePNP2020 |

### Incumbent MPs not seeking re-election

Seven members of parliament did not stand for re-election:
| Retiring incumbent | Retiring incumbent | Electoral District | Term in office | Reason | Date announced | Replaced as MP by |
| Robert Pickersgill | PNP | Saint Catherine North Western | 1989–2020 | Not standing | 22 August 2017 | Hugh Graham |
| Evon Redman | PNP | Saint Elizabeth North Eastern | 2016–2020 | Not standing | 10 May 2018 | Delroy Slowley |
| Derrick Kellier | PNP | Saint James Southern | 1987–2020 | Not standing | 28 May 2018 | Homer Davis |
| Ronald Thwaites | PNP | Kingston Central | 1997–2020 | Not standing | 22 May 2019 | Donovan Williams |
| Noel Arscott | PNP | Clarendon South Western | 2007–2020 | Not standing | 14 September 2019 | Luthon Cousins |
| Shahine Robinson | JLP | Saint Ann North Eastern | 2001–2020 | Died in office | 29 May 2020 | Marsha Smith |
| Leslie Campbell | JLP | Saint Catherine North Eastern | 2016–2020 | Not standing | 26 June 2020 | Kerensia Morrison |

### Candidates

Candidate nominations were finalised on nomination day, 18 August 2020. The full candidate list is presented below, along with the incumbent candidates before the election. MPs who are not standing for re-election are marked (†). Government ministers are in bold, and party leaders are in italics.

#### Clarendon Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Clarendon Central | | Michael Henry | | Zuleika Jess | | | Michael Henry |
| Clarendon North Central | | Robert Nesta Morgan | | Desmond Brennan | | | Pearnel Charles |
| Clarendon North Western | | Phillip Henriquez | | Richard Azan | | Merrick Cohen (Ind.) | Richard Azan |
| Clarendon Northern | | Dwight Sibblies | | Horace Dalley | | | Horace Dalley |
| Clarendon South Eastern | | Pearnel Charles Jr | | Patricia Duncan Sutherland | | | Pearnel Charles Jr |
| Clarendon South Western | | Kent Gammon | | Lothan Cousins | | | † Noel Arscott |

#### Hanover Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Hanover Eastern | | Dave Hume-Brown | | Wavell Hinds | Dave Hume-Brown |
| Hanover Western | | Tamika Davis | | Ian Hayles | Ian Hayles |

#### Kingston Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Kingston Central | | Donovan Williams | | Imani Duncan-Price | † Ronald Thwaites |
| Kingston East & Port Royal | | Egwugwu Priestly | | Phillip Paulwell | Phillip Paulwell |
| Kingston Western | | Desmond McKenzie | | Joseph Witter | Desmond McKenzie |

#### Manchester Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Manchester Central | | Rhoda Moy Crawford | | Peter Bunting | | Rohan Chung (Ind.) | Peter Bunting |
| Manchester North Eastern | | Audley Shaw | | Donald Jackson | | | Audley Shaw |
| Manchester North Western | | Damion Young | | Mikael Phillips | | | Mikael Phillips |
| Manchester Southern | | Robert Chin | | Michael Stewart | | | Michael Stewart |

#### Portland Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Portland Eastern | | Ann-Marie Vaz | | Bishop Purcell Jackson | Ann-Marie Vaz |
| Portland Western | | Daryl Vaz | | Valerie Neita Robertson | Daryl Vaz |

#### Saint Andrew Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Andrew East Central | | Jodian Myrie | | Peter Phillips | Peter Phillips |
| Saint Andrew East Rural | | Juliet Holness | | Joan Gordon-Webley | Juliet Holness |
| Saint Andrew Eastern | | Fayval Williams | | Venesha Phillips | Fayval Williams |
| Saint Andrew North Central | | Karl Samuda | | O'Neil Lynch | Karl Samuda |
| Saint Andrew North Eastern | | Delroy Chuck | | David Tulloch | Delroy Chuck |
| Saint Andrew North Western | | Nigel Clarke | | Rohan Banks | Nigel Clarke |
| Saint Andrew South Eastern | | Kari Douglas | | Julian Robinson | Julian Robinson |
| Saint Andrew South Western | | Moureen Lorne | | Angela Brown-Burke | Angela Brown-Burke |
| Saint Andrew Southern | | Victor Hyde | | Mark Golding | Mark Golding |
| Saint Andrew West Central | | Andrew Holness | | Patrick Roberts | Andrew Holness |
| Saint Andrew West Rural | | Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn | | Krystal Tomlinson | Juliet Cuthbert-Flynn |
| Saint Andrew Western | | Dorlan Francis | | Anthony Hylton | Anthony Hylton |

#### Saint Ann Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Ann North Eastern | | Marsha Smith | | Keith Brown | | | Marsha Smith" |
| Saint Ann North Western | | Krystal Lee | | Dayton Campbell | | Peter Shand (Ind.) | Krystal Lee |
| Saint Ann South Eastern | | Delroy Granston | | Lisa Hanna | | | Lisa Hanna |
| Saint Ann South Western | | Zavia Mayne | | Valenton Wint | | | Zavia Mayne |

#### Saint Catherine Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Catherine Central | | Olivia Grange | | Maurice Westney | | | Olivia Grange |
| Saint Catherine East Central | | Alando Terrelonge | | Raymond Pryce | | | Alando Terrelonge |
| Saint Catherine Eastern | | Dwight Pecoo | | Denise Daley | | | Denise Daley |
| Saint Catherine North Central | | Natalie Campbell Rodriques | | Natalie Neita-Headley | | John Henry (Ind.) Lloyd Smith (Ind.) | Natalie Neita-Headley |
| Saint Catherine North Eastern | | Kerensia Morrison | | Oswest Senior-Smith | | | † Leslie Campbell |
| Saint Catherine North Western | | Newton Amos | | Hugh Graham | | Gene Guthrie (Ind.) | † Robert Pickersgill |
| Saint Catherine South Central | | Andrew Wheatley | | Kurt Matthews | | | Andrew Wheatley |
| Saint Catherine South Eastern | | Robert Miller | | Colin Fagan | | | Colin Fagan |
| Saint Catherine South Western | | Everald Warmington | | Kurt Waul | | Upton Blake (Ind.) | Everald Warmington |
| Saint Catherine Southern | | Delroy Dobney | | Fitz Jackson | | | Fitz Jackson |
| Saint Catherine West Central | | Christopher Tufton | | Kenyama Brown | | | Christopher Tufton |

#### Saint Elizabeth Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Elizabeth North Eastern | | Delroy Slowley | | Basil White | † Evon Redman |
| Saint Elizabeth North Western | | William J.C. Hutchinson | | Ryan Keating | William J.C. Hutchinson |
| Saint Elizabeth South Western | | Floyd Green | | Ewan Stephenson | Floyd Green |
| Saint Elizabeth South Eastern | | Franklyn Witter | | Dwaine Spencer | Franklyn Witter |

#### Saint James Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint James Central | | Heroy Clarke | | Andre Hylton | | Ras-Astor Black (Ind.) | Heroy Clarke |
| Saint James East Central | | Edmund Bartlett | | Michael Hemmings | | | Edmund Bartlett |
| Saint James North Western | | Horace Chang | | George Hamilton | | | Horace Chang |
| Saint James Southern | | Homer Davis | | Walton Small | | | † Derrick Kellier |
| Saint James West Central | | Marlene Malahoo Forte | | Andre Haughton | | | Marlene Malahoo Forte |

#### Saint Mary Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Mary Central | | Lennon Richards | | Morais Guy | Morais Guy |
| Saint Mary South Eastern | | Norman Dunn | | Shane Alexis | Norman Dunn |
| Saint Mary Western | | Robert Montague | | Jason Stanford | Robert Montague |

#### Saint Thomas Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Saint Thomas Eastern | | Michelle Charles | | Fenton Ferguson | Fenton Ferguson |
| Saint Thomas Western | | James Robertson | | Marsha Francis | James Robertson |

#### Trelawny Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Trelawny Northern | | Tova Hamilton | | Victor Wright Jnr | | Genieve Dawkins (Ind.) | Victor Wright |
| Trelawny Southern | | Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert | | Lloyd Gillings | | Richard Sharpe (Ind.) | Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert |

#### Westmoreland Parish

| Electoral District | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Candidates | Incumbent |
| Electoral District | JLP | JLP | PNP | PNP | Other | Other | Incumbent | Incumbent |
| Westmoreland Central | | George Wright (became independent MP in 2021) | | Dwayne Vaz | | George Wright (Ind.) Torraino Beckford (Ind.) Don Foote (Ind.) | Dwayne Vaz |
| Westmoreland Eastern | | Daniel Lawrence | | Luther Buchanan | | Haile Mika'el (Ind.) | Luther Buchanan |
| Westmoreland Western | | Morland Wilson | | Wykeham McNeill | | | Wykeham McNeill |
* ↑ Foote is a JLP member contesting the election independently as the "Jamaica Abolitionist Movement".
* ↑ The initial count ended in a tie that was decided in favour of incumbent Luther Buchanan. However, Daniel Lawrence was declared the winner after a recount.

### Marginal seats

The following lists identify and rank seats using the vote margin by which the party's candidate finished behind the winning candidate in the 2015 election. This vote margin is given as a percentage of all eligible voters in the district.
For information purposes only, seats that have changed hands through subsequent by elections have been noted. Seats whose members have changed party allegiance are ignored.
Marginal seats by party (with winning parties and margins from the 2016 Jamaican general election) :
| Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) | Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) | Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) | Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) | People's National Party (PNP) | People's National Party (PNP) | People's National Party (PNP) | People's National Party (PNP) |
| Marginal ||||||||
| 1 | | Saint Mary South Eastern | 0.02% | 1 | | Saint Catherine North Eastern | 0.53% |
| 2 | | Saint James Southern | 0.24% | 2 | | Saint Andrew Eastern | 0.62% |
| 3 | | Saint Ann North Western | 1.18% | 3 | | Saint Elizabeth South Eastern | 0.69% |
| 4 | | Trelawny Northern | 1.24% | 4 | | Saint Thomas Western | 1.08% |
| 5 | | Saint Catherine South Eastern | 1.49% | 5 | | Saint Ann South Western | 1.34% |
| 6 | | Westmoreland Central | 2.70% | 6 | | Hanover Eastern | 1.44% |
| 7 | | Saint Catherine North Western | 3.05% | 7 | | Saint Andrew East Rural | 1.83% |
| 8 | | Manchester Central | 3.17% | 8 | | Saint Catherine East Central | 1.97% |
| 9 | | Clarendon Northern | 3.21% | 9 | | Clarendon North Central | 2.42% |
| 10 | | Clarendon North Western | 3.57% | 10 | | Clarendon South Eastern | 2.44% |
| 11 | | Manchester Southern | 3.77% | 11 | | Saint Elizabeth North Western | 4.34% |
| 12 | | Westmoreland Western | 4.49% | 12 | | Saint James West Central | 4.67% |
| 13 | | Saint Catherine North Central | 4.59% | 13 | | Saint Andrew West Rural | 5.69% |
| 14 | | Saint Elizabeth North Eastern | 4.79% | 14 | | Manchester North Eastern | 5.86% |
| 15 | | Hanover Western | 4.82% | 15 | | Saint Elizabeth South Western | 6.81% |
| 16 | | Saint Thomas Eastern | 5.41% | 16 | | Saint James Central | 6.85% |
| 17 | | Kingston Central | 5.78% | 17 | | Saint Andrew West Central | 7.05% |
| 18 | | Portland Eastern | 6.62% | 18 | | Portland Western | 7.14% |
| 19 | | Clarendon South Western | 6.67% | 19 | | Saint Catherine South Western | 7.43% |
| 20 | | Manchester North Western | 6.75% | 20 | | Saint Ann North Eastern | 7.83% |
| 21 | | Saint Mary Central | 7.10% | 21 | | Saint James East Central | 8.06% |
| 22 | | Saint Catherine Southern | 7.12% | 22 | | Saint Andrew North Western | 8.47% |
| 23 | | Saint Andrew East Central | 7.44% | 23 | | Saint Mary Western | 9.80% |
| 24 | | Saint Catherine Eastern | 7.61% | 24 | | Trelawny Southern | 10.70% |
| 25 | | Saint Andrew South Eastern | 9.78% | 25 | | Saint James North Western | 11.85% |
| 26 | | Saint Andrew Western | 10.43% | 26 | | Saint Andrew North Eastern | 12.05% |
| 27 | | Westmoreland Eastern | 10.52% | 27 | | Saint Andrew North Central | 12.39% |
| 28 | | Saint Ann South Eastern | 10.98% | 28 | | Saint Catherine West Central | 13.43% |
| 29 | | Kingston East and Port Royal | 25.20% | 29 | | Clarendon Central | 15.33% |
| 30 | | Saint Andrew Southern | 36.37% | 30 | | Saint Catherine South Central | 20.47% |
| 31 | | Saint Andrew South Western | 40.79% | 31 | | Saint Catherine Central | 24.94% |
| Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe | 32 | | Kingston Western | 34.83% |
| | | | | Safe | Safe | Safe | Safe |
| Source: General Election 2016 - Electoral Commission of Jamaica ||||||||
* ↑ Later gained by the JLP in a by-election on 30 October 2017, by a margin of 36.26% over the PNP.
* ↑ Later gained by the JLP in a by-election on 4 April 2019, by a margin of 1.62% over the PNP.

## Opinion polls

Don Anderson, CEO of Market Research Services Limited, Larren Peart, founder and CEO of Bluedot Data Intelligence Limited and Bill Johnson of Johnson's Survey Research Limited Inc have commissioned opinion polling for the general election regularly sampling the electorates' opinions.
| Date | Pollster | Sample size | JLP | PNP | Other | Lead |
| 3 September 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 57.1 | 42.8 | 0.1 | 14.3 |
| 21–24 August 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 37 | 25 | 38 | 12 |
| 21–23 August 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,000 | 37 | 23 | 40 | 14 |
| 20 July–6 August 2020 | Nationwide News Network/Bluedot poll | – | 52 | 34 | 14 | 18 |
| 23 July–3 August 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 36 | 20 | 44 | 16 |
| 9–12 July 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 36 | 17 | 47 | 19 |
| 13–20 June 2020 | Mello TV/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 38 | 19 | 43 | 19 |
| 12–15 March 2020 | Jamaica Observer/Bill Johnson poll | 1,200 | 33 | 19 | 48 | 14 |
| 8–18 February 2020 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | 1,038 | 30 | 22 | 48 | 8 |
| 2–19 December 2019 | Nationwide News Network/Bluedot poll | – | 56 | 44 | 0 | 12 |
| 7 August 2019 | Don Anderson poll | – | 35 | 30 | 35 | 5 |
| 2–4 August 2019 | One PNP/Bill Johnson poll | 1,000 | 34 | 32 | 34 | 2 |
| 28 March 2019 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | 1,003 | 29 | 18 | 53 | 11 |
| 12 March 2018 | RJR Gleaner Group/Don Anderson poll | – | 26 | 19 | 55 | 6 |
| 25 February 2016 | 2016 general election | – | 50.1 | 49.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 |

### CEAC Solutions polling

These polls are used internally by the PNP.
| Date | Pollster | Sample size | JLP | PNP | Other | Lead |
| 3 September 2020 | 2020 general election | – | 57.1 | 42.8 | 0.1 | 14.3 |
| 28-29 August 2020 | CEAC Solutions poll | 366 | 41 | 44 | 15 | 3 |
| 25 February 2016 | 2016 general election | – | 50.1 | 49.7 | 0.2 | 0.4 |

## Results

The ECJ reported that 97% of the polling stations had opened by 7:00 AM, and the remaining stations were open by 8:00 AM. The polls closed at 5:00 PM. Election observers included the EU delegation to Jamaica and a domestic NGO, Citizens Action for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE).
Before 10:00 PM, preliminary results indicated that the JLP had won 44 seats; for the first time since 1967, the JLP was re-elected while contesting all seats. PNP leader Phillips did not give a concession speech, but called Holness privately to offer congratulations. Phillips resigned as PNP leader on 4 September 2020. The full preliminary count indicated a total of 49 seats for the JLP. A tie in Westmoreland Eastern was declared to be won by the JLP after a recount.
PM Holness was sworn in for a new term by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen on 7 September 2020. The ceremony, which was held at King's House, was restricted to 32 people to comply with public health measures.
| | Jamaica Labour Party | 408,376 | 57.07 | +6.99 | 49 | +17 |
| | People's National Party | 305,950 | 42.76 | –6.95 | 14 | –17 |
| | Independents | 1,185 | 0.17 | +0.03 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 715,511 | 100.00 | – | 63 | – |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 715,511 | 98.78 | | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 8,806 | 1.22 | | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 724,317 | 100.00 | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 1,913,410 | 37.85 | | | |
| Source: Electoral Commission of Jamaica |||||||