1968 Guyanese general election

General elections were held in Guyana on 16 December 1968.[1] The result was a victory for the People's National Congress, which won 30 of the 53 seats, although the PNC's victory was the result of fraud as the government had direct control of the elections.[2] Voter turnout was 85.1%.[1]

1968 Guyanese general election

← 1964 16 December 1968 1973 →

53 seats in the National Assembly
27 seats needed for a majority
Registered369,088
Turnout85.14%
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Forbes Burnham Cheddi Jagan Peter D'Aguiar
Party PNC PPP TUF
Leader since 13 February 1955 1 January 1950 5 October 1960
Seats won 30 19 4
Seat change Increase8 Decrease5 Decrease3
Popular vote 174,339 113,991 23,162
Percentage 55.81% 36.49% 7.41%
Swing Increase9.97pp Decrease4.03pp Decrease5.00pp

Prime Minister before election

Forbes Burnham
PNC

Elected Prime Minister

Forbes Burnham
PNC

Election fraud

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The electoral fraud of Forbes Burnham was the subject of two documentaries produced by Granada Television, The Trail of the Vanishing Voters which aired on 9 December 1968,[3] and The Making of a Prime Minister which appeared in January 1969.[4][5] The documentaries featured the main opposition figures, Cheddi Jagan and Peter D'Aguiar.

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's National Congress174,33955.8130+8
People's Progressive Party113,99136.4919–5
United Force23,1627.414–3
Guiana United Muslim Party8990.2900
Total312,391100.00530
Valid votes312,39199.41
Invalid/blank votes1,8550.59
Total votes314,246100.00
Registered voters/turnout369,08885.14
Source: Nohlen

References

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  1. ^ a b Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p363 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. ^ Nohlen, p355-359
  3. ^ Granada Television (9 December 1968). "The Trail of the Vanishing Voters". YouTube.
  4. ^ Granada Television (January 1969). "The Making of a Prime Minister". YouTube.
  5. ^ Rabe, Stephen G. (2005). U.S. Intervention in British Guiana: A Cold War Story. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. p. 158. ISBN 0-8078-5639-8.