General elections were held in Belize on 21 November 1979.

Dieter Nohlen Dieter Nohlen (born 6 November 1939) is a German academic and political scientist. He currently holds the position of Emeritus Professor of Political Science in the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences of the University of Heidelberg. An expe ...

(2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I'', p104 The result was a victory for the ruling People's United Party, which won 13 of the 18 seats. Voter turnout was 89.9%.General Elections 1979
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Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission The Belize Elections and Boundaries Commission is the primary electoral body in Belize. It supervises all local and national elections. The commission also establishes the boundaries of Belize's electoral divisions. Formation and duties The EBC w ...

. (accessed 19 November 2014)

Background

The PUP went into the election with a 13–5 majority, having picked up a seat after the previous election when

Toledo District Toledo District is the southernmost district in Belize, and Punta Gorda is the District capital. It is the second most developed region in the country (according to the Human Development Index (HDI)). The district has a diverse topography whic ...

Area Rep.

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from the opposition United Democratic Party in 1975.Ramos, Adele
"Bombshell: Mahmud resigns!"
'' Amandala'', 25 November 2014. (accessed 4 December 2014) The election results confirmed that 13-5 majority. In 1979, Belizeans were concerned about their progress toward independence and the Guatemalan claim to the colony. The UDP were not in favour of advancing on the former issue without a substantial settlement of the latter, and this led the PUP to turn the election into a sort of referendum on that question. By their turnout (a record high) and their support for the PUP, Belizeans made clear their preferences and set in motion the chain of events that would lead to independence in 1981.

Results

References

Belize General elections in Belize 1979 in Belize Belize Belize {{NorthAm-election-stub