1975 British Virgin Islands general election

The British Virgin Islands general election, 1975 was held in the British Virgin Islands on 1 September 1975. The result was one of the most confused in the Territory's history, but is officially recorded as a victory for the United Party led by Willard Wheatley over the opposition Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by former Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt.

British Virgin Islands general election, 1975

1 September 1975 (1975-09-01)
All seats in the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council 4 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	74.6%
First party Second party   Leader Willard Wheatley Lavity Stoutt Party BVI United Party Virgin Islands Party Leader since 1975 1971 Leader's seat 6th District 1st District Seats before 1 2 Seats won 2 3 Seat change +1 +1
Chief Minister before election Willard Wheatley VI Democratic Party (Coalition) Elected Chief Minister Willard Wheatley BVI United Party (Coalition)

In reality the election provided no clear consensus, and as soon as the election was over successful candidates dumped their prior allegiances and tried to broker deals that would enable them to secure power. At the end of this process Willard Wheatley retained his role as Chief Minister and led a coalition loosely affiliated to the United Party. But as has been recorded:

The 1975 General Elections did not produce a clear majority for any party and the loyalties, which appeared to have existed prior to and in the course of the election campaign, fell apart in the aftermath. Mr W.W. Wheatly again emerged as Chief Minister, but with a different team.[1]

Background

The 1975 general election was something of a dangerous crossroad for British Virgin Islands politics. The first party political election in 1967 had been won by the United Party. However, internal struggles relating to who should be leader led to the party fragmenting before the next election. That allowed the opposition VI Democratic Party to win the 1971 election, but exactly the same thing would happen to them: disagreements between party leader Q.W. Osborne and Chief Minister Willard Wheatley led Wheatley to remove Osborne from his Ministerial seat. The resulting discord meant that, despite technically being the party in power, the VI Democratic Party did not actually promote any candidates at all for the 1975 election[2] - Wheatley left to form an alliance with the United Party, and Osborne left to join the Virgin Islands Party.

Results and notable candidates

British Virgin Islands general election, 1975[3]

Party	Votes	Percentage	Seats Won
United Party	797	26.6%	2
Virgin Islands Party	1,421	47.4%	3
VI Democratic Party	0	0%	1
VI Progressive Party	89	3%	0
Independents	649	21.6%	1
Total	2,998	100%	7
Turnout: 74.6%

Willard Wheatley won the election in a coalition with the United Party. The exact electoral mechanics appear to be unclear: although the United Party only won two seats - fewer than the Virgin Islands Party (which won three) - but it appears that Wheatley was able to assemble a coalition and remain Chief Minister and at the head of government.

Curiously however, Austin Henley was a former member of the VI Democratic Party, but ran as a United Party candidate. But it appears that he may have left the party again shortly after the election as he was named Leader of the Opposition. Henley would later die in office, and Oliver Cills continued as Leader of the Opposition. Both Henley and Cills were recorded as members of the VI Democratic Party whilst Leaders of the Opposition.

Notable candidates elected for the first time included future Chief Minister and Premier, Ralph T. O'Neal.

Individual seats

British Virgin Islands general election, 1975[4]
Individual seats

Constituency	Candidates	Votes	Percentage	Winner	Party
1st District Turnout: 79.3%	H. Lavity Stoutt (VIP)	334	74.7%	H. Lavity Stoutt	Virgin Islands Party
	Cyril Romney (Ind)	111	24.8%
	Rejected	2	0.4%
	Total	447	100%
2nd District Turnout: 68.3%	Austin Henley (UP)	191	49.0%	Austin Henley	United Party*
	Stanford Connor (VIP)	190	48.7%
	Rejected	9	2.3%
	Total	390	100%
3rd District	Oliver Cills	Uncontested		Oliver Cills	Unknown†
4th District Turnout: 67.9%	Alban Anthony (VIP)	288	59.4%	Alban Anthony	Virgin Islands Party
	Noel Lloyd (VIPP)	89	18.4%
	Glanville Fonseca (Ind)	60	12.4%
	Walter Lindy DeCastro (UP)	41	8.5%
	Rejected	7	1.4%
	Total	485	100%
5th District Turnout: 74.2%	Q.W. Osborne (VIP)	323	55.8%	Q.W. Osborne	Virgin Islands Party
	Conrad Maduro (UP)	246	42.5%
	Rejected	10	1.7%
	Total	579	100%
6th District Turnout: 73.5%	Willard Wheatley (UP)	319	52.0%	Willard Wheatley	United Party
	Terrance B. Lettsome (VIP)	286	46.7%
	Rejected	8	1.3%
	Total	613	100%
7th District Turnout: 87.0%	Ralph T. O'Neal (Ind)	306	63.5%	Ralph T. O'Neal	Independent
	Reeial George (VIP)	170	35.3%
	Reuben Wheatley (Ind)	2	0.4%
	Rejected	4	0.8%
	Total	482	100%
* Henley stood as a United Party candidate but appears to have rejoined the VI Democratic Party shortly after the election. † Candidates in uncontested seats were not required to declare parties for the purposes of the election.

Footnotes

1. "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. p. 215 (at para 1.64). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
2. Oliver Cills, a former VIDP member, ran unopposed and therefore was not required to declare party.
3. "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp. 79–81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
4. "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp. 79–81. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.