2008 Barbadian general election

General elections were held in Barbados on 15 January 2008.[1] A concurrent referendum to determine whether or not to become a republic was initially planned but vote was postponed.[2]

The Democratic Labour Party (DLP), which had been in opposition since 1994, won with 20 seats to 10 seats for the Barbados Labour Party, led by Prime Minister Owen Arthur. Recounts were held in some constituencies due to close results.[3]

On 11 September 2008 Hamilton Lashley MP, for St. Michael South-East announced he would cross the floor and no longer be a member of the Barbados Labour Party, but would instead become an independent. His defection brought the BLP as Opposition down to nine seats for the remainder of the Parliamentary session.[4] He later decided to join the ruling DLP party.

DLP chairman David Thompson was sworn in as Prime Minister on 16 January.[1] After David Thompson died in October 2010 a by-election was held on January 2011 to fill his vacant seat for St. John.

Results

Seat results by constituency. As this is a FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead by the result in each constituency.

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Democratic Labour Party	77,681	52.55	20	+13
Barbados Labour Party	69,720	47.16	10	–13
People's Empowerment Party	235	0.16	0	New
People's Democratic Congress	46	0.03	0	New
Independents	144	0.10	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	1,807	–	–	–
Total	149,633	100	30	0
Registered voters/turnout	235,510	63.54	–	–
Source: Electoral Department, Election Passport

References

1. Thompson sworn in as Barbados PM Xinhua, 17 January 2008
2. Elections in Barbados Archived January 16, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Jamaica Gleaner, 13 January 2008
3. BARBADOS ELECTION: Ruling party defeated Archived February 8, 2008, at the Wayback Machine, The Nation, 16 January 2008
4. BLP move? Archived 2016-03-05 at the Wayback Machine Daily Nation, 5 October 2008