# 2009 Belizean municipal elections

A municipal election was held in Belize on 4 March 2009. Voters elected sixty seven representatives, eighteen in city councils (11 Belize City, 7 Belmopan) and forty nine in town councils.

## Participating parties

* United Democratic Party (incumbents)
* People's United Party
* Vision Inspired by the People (Belmopan only)
* Benque Association (Benque Viejo only)
* People's National Party (Punta Gorda only)
* Congress of the P.G. People (Punta Gorda only)

### Belize City

Mayor of Belize City Zenaida Moya will seek reelection after fighting off a challenge by Councillor Anthony Michael. She will be challenged by retired public officer Dr. Cecil Reneau.

### Belmopan

Simeon Lopez, sitting mayor, won a local convention on August 17, defeating younger challengers Khalid Belisle and subordinate Eugene Brown. He will be challenged by the PUP's Rosalind Casey.

### Towns

The slates for all district towns have been selected.

### Schedule

* February 4: Announcement of polls and nomination date.
* February 9: Presentation of PUP municipal manifestos
* February 16: Candidates for municipal councils formally nominated at local election office.
* February: Presentation of UDP municipal manifestos
* March 4:
** 7:00 A.M., opening of polls
** 6:00 P.M., close of polls;
** 8:00 P.M., counting of votes begins.
* March 5: Earliest date each council can be formally sworn into office.

## Voter turnout

* Belize City: 36.8%
* Belmopan: 46.84%
* San Pedro: 61.04%
* Corozal: 52.81%
* Orange Walk: 72.90%
* San Ignacio/Santa Elena: 54.22%
* Benque Viejo: 71.49%
* Dangriga: 41.97%
* Punta Gorda: 58.43%

## Final results
### Corozal Town

| Candidates | Office Sought | Votes Polled/% | Elected |
| Hilberto Enrique Campos | Mayor (UDP) | 2145 (31.87%) | elected |
| Aaron Ubaldo Babb | Councilor (UDP) | 2373 (35.26%) | elected |
| Jude Stanley Budna | Councilor (UDP) | 2367 (35.17%) | elected |
| Willie Joselle Cruz | Councilor (UDP) | 2362 (35.10%) | elected |
| Abigail Karina Gomez | Councilor (UDP) | 2311 (34.34%) | elected |
| Kenisha Yvonne Esquivel | Councilor (UDP) | 2302 (34.21%) | elected |
| Nonita Encarnacion Ramirez | Councilor (UDP) | 2306 (34.26%) | elected |
| Ivan J. Castillo | Mayor (PUP) | 1739 (25.84%) | |
| Rosa Casanova | Councilor (PUP) | 1716 (25.50%) | |
| Miriam Gilharry Gomez | Councilor (UDP) | 1725 (25.63%) | |
| Raul Altamira Mai | Councilor (PUP) | 1759 (26.14%) | |
| Arcenio Vasquez | Councilor (PUP) | 1716 (25.50%) | |
| Miguel Ricalde | Councilor (PUP) | 1799 (26.73%) | |
| Tulio Rodriguez | Councilor (PUP) | 1720 (25.56%) | |
| Edward "Head" Henderson | Mayor (Independent) | 112 (1.66%) | |

### Orange Walk Town

| Candidates | Office Sought | Votes Polled/% | Elected |
| Phillip Marvin de la Fuente | Mayor (UDP) | 3538 (35.60%) | elected |
| Raul "Splash" Alcoser | Councilor (UDP) | 3452 (34.74%) | |
| David Israel Constanza | Councilor (UDP) | 3551 (35.73%) | elected |
| Eduardo Eustacio Leiva | Councilor (UDP) | 3435 (34.56%) | |
| Joel Enrique Madera | Councilor (UDP) | 3494 (35.16%) | elected |
| Xenia Enid Morales | Councilor (UDP) | 3553 (35.75%) | elected |
| Carlos Andres Perera | Councilor (UDP) | 3355 (33.76%) | |
| Ramon "Monchi" Cervantes | Mayor (PUP) | 3392 (34.13%) | |
| Rozel Arana Flores | Councilor (PUP) | 3545 (35.67%) | elected |
| Rafael Avila | Councilor (PUP) | 3463 (34.85%) | |
| Kevin Bernard | Councilor (PUP) | 3499 (35.21%) | elected |
| Josue Carballo | Councilor (PUP) | 3531 (35.53%) | elected |
| Alexander Lopez | Councilor (PUP) | 3415 (34.36%) | |
| Faride Riverol | Councilor (PUP) | 3434 (34.55%) | |

### San Ignacio/Santa Elena

| Candidates | Office Sought | Votes Polled/% | Elected |
| John Francis August, Jr. | Mayor (UDP) | 2706 (26.77%) | elected |
| Eduardo Cano | Councilor (UDP) | 3426 (33.89%) | elected |
| Orlando Moses Chuc | Councilor (UDP) | 3540 (35.02%) | elected |
| Bernadette Fernandez | Councilor (UDP) | 3705 (36.65%) | elected |
| Desol D. Neal | Councilor (UDP) | 3502 (34.64%) | elected |
| Vanessa Jeaneane Neal | Councilor (UDP) | 3595 (35.56%) | elected |
| A. Earl Trapp | Councilor (UDP) | 3664 (36.24%) | elected |
| Jose Hermilio "Mendee" Mendoza | Mayor (PUP) | 1061 (10.50%) | |
| Nasim Elias Lisbey | Councilor (PUP) | 1448 (14.32%) | |
| Gabriel Jorge "Benjy" Maldonado | Councilor (PUP) | 1378 (13.63%) | |
| Jose Vicente "Joe Marr" Marr, Sr. | Councilor (PUP) | 1471 (14.55%) | |
| Marleni Celene "Guerra" Torres | Councilor (PUP) | 1347 (13.32%) | |
| Yolla Asme "Yolla Flores" Vasquez | Councilor (PUP) | 1339 13.25% | |
| Luis Amett "Cal" Zaiden | Councilor (PUP) | 1367 (13.52%) | |
| Luis Ayala | Mayor (Independent) | 137 (1.36%) | |
| Alfonso "Poncho" Cruz | Mayor (Independent) | 1312 (12.98%) | |

### Benque Viejo del Carmen Town

| Candidates | Office Sought | Votes Polled/% | Elected |
| Nicholasito Russel "Nick" Ruiz | Mayor (UDP) | 1813 (47.03%) | elected |
| Ana Melita Castellanos | Councilor (UDP) | 1687 (43.76%) | elected |
| Constance Frances "Concie" Hyde | Councilor (UDP) | 1684 (43.68%) | elected |
| Salvador Jorge Iglesias | Councilor (UDP) | 1838 (47.68%) | elected |
| Marcos Moises "Checha" Kotch | Councilor (UDP) | 1747 (45.32%) | elected |
| Eric Raul Manzanero | Councilor (UDP) | 1726 (44.77%) | elected |
| Miguel Angel "Mike" Velasquez | Councilor (UDP) | 1784 (46.28%) | elected |
| Shelly Hernandez Pacheco | Mayor (PUP) | 539 (13.98%) | |
| Irma Araceli Garcia | Councilor (PUP) | 540 (14.01%) | |
| Kenny Giovani Luna | Councilor (PUP) | 568 (14.73%) | |
| Francisco Manuel "Moya" Portillo | Councilor (PUP) | 585 (15.18%) | |
| Luis Enrique "Kike" Quiroz | Councilor (PUP) | 578 (14.99%) | |
| Jose Luis "Wicho" Rodriguez | Councilor (PUP) | 547 (14.19%) | |
| Daisy Yacab Magana | Councilor (PUP) | 558 (14.47%) | |
| Humberto Moh | Mayor (Benque Association) | 56 (1.45%) | |
| Asmin Betancourt | Councilor (Benque Association) | 66 (1.71%) | |
| Eric Walter Billalta | Councilor (Benque Association) | 50 (1.30%) | |
| Elmer Galvez | Councilor (Benque Association) | 48 (1.25%) | |
| Carlos Manuel Gomez | Councilor (Benque Association) | 57 (1.48%) | |
| Jose Eduardo Gongora | Councilor (Benque Association) | 53 (1.37%) | |
| Martin Ricardo Mendez | Councilor (Benque Association) | 45 (1.17%) | |

## Media coverage

* LOVE FM, Channel 5: Decision 2009
* KREM FM, Krem Television, Channel 7: The Big Test 2009
* WAVE Radio, BBN: Election Watch 2009
* Plus Television (Belmopan), Integrity Radio (Belize City): unknown
* Live Election Results and pictures on www.orangewalk.net by FarWorld Tech of Orange Walk Town, Belize.