2013 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 2013 was held on Thursday 7 November 2013[1] to elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly (five from the Stanley constituency and three from the Camp constituency) through universal suffrage using block voting, with each Stanley constituent having up to 5 votes and each Camp constituent having up to 3 votes. A total of 1,046 ballots (4,750 votes) were cast in Stanley, representing a turn-out of 75.4%, and 242 ballots (675 votes) in Camp, representing a turn-out of 85.5%.[2] As no political parties are active in the Falklands, all the candidates stood as Independents. The Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands, Keith Padgett, acted as returning officer. It was the second election since the new Constitution came into force replacing the Legislative Council (which had existed since 1845) with the Legislative Assembly.

Not to be confused with 2013 Falkland Islands sovereignty referendum.

2013 Falkland Islands general election

7 November 2013 (7 November 2013)
All 8 members to the legislative assembly 5 seats needed for a majority
Majority party   Party Nonpartisan Seats won 8
Speaker before election Keith Biles Elected Speaker Keith Biles

For the first time, elected candidates would be paid a salary, rather than just expenses, and be expected to work full-time, giving up whatever jobs or business interests they may have previously held. This led to criticism from some Islanders that potential candidates had been put off from standing as they didn't want to give up their jobs.[3]

All but two members of the previous Legislative Assembly won re-election (Camp MLA Sharon Halford lost her seat and Stanley MLA Dick Sawle did not stand for re-election).[2] Michael Poole, one of the new intake, became the first member of the islands' legislature to have been born after the Falklands War and received the highest number of votes of a candidate in the history of the islands.[4]

Campaign

On 29 July 2013 the Executive Council announced that election day had been scheduled for 7 November.[1] In preparation for the election, the Legislative Assembly was dissolved by the Governor on 26 September 2013. Nominations for candidates opened on the day of the dissolution and closed on 17 October.[5] Eleven candidates stood in Stanley and five in Camp.[6]

Each candidate made a two-minute televised broadcast on the Falkland Islands Television Service to set out their manifestos.[7] Hustings were held in late October and early November, with a north-south air-link and better facilities for tourism being the main issues debated.[8]

Results

Incumbent members are in italics.

Stanley constituency

Stanley[9][10]
List		Candidates	Votes	%	±
	Nonpartisan	Michael Poole	957	20.15	NA
	Nonpartisan	Barry Elsby	893	18.80	NA[nb 1]
	Nonpartisan	Gavin Short	844	17.77	+6.49
	Nonpartisan	Mike Summers	719	15.14	+10.48[nb 2]
	Nonpartisan	Jan Cheek	333	7.01	-3.38
	Nonpartisan	Teslyn Barkman	292	6.15	NA
	Nonpartisan	John Birmingham	285	6.00	+0.25
	Nonpartisan	Norman Besley-Clark	148	3.12	-2.60
	Nonpartisan	Candy Blackley	138	2.91	NA
	Nonpartisan	Lynda Buckland	96	2.02	NA
	Nonpartisan	Faith Felton	45	0.95	NA
Rejected ballots			3	0.003	NA
Turnout			4,750[nb 3]	75.4	-0.2

Camp constituency

Camp[9]
List		Candidates	Votes	%	±
	Nonpartisan	Phyllis Rendell	204	30.22	NA
	Nonpartisan	Roger Edwards	162	24.00	+0.80
	Nonpartisan	Ian Hansen	129	19.11	+0.53[nb 4]
	Nonpartisan	Melanie Gilding	124	18.37	NA
	Nonpartisan	Sharon Halford	56	8.30	-14.74
Rejected ballots			1	0.002	NA
Turnout			675[nb 5]	85.2	-4.1

Notes

1. Vote change is not applicable as Elsby was first elected at a by-election in 2011.
2. Figure relates to Summers's result at the last general election, when he lost his seat. Summers returned to the Legislative Assembly at a by-election in 2011
3. A total of 1,046 ballots were cast in the Stanley constituency and each voter could vote for up to five candidates.
4. Figure relates to Hansen's result at the last general election, when he lost his seat. Hansen returned to the Legislative Assembly at a by-election in 2011
5. A total of 242 ballots were cast in the Camp constituency and each voter could vote for up to three candidates.

References

1. "Falklands' next general election announced for 7 November". MercoPress. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
2. Fowler, John (8 November 2013). "Falklands lawmakers: Falklands election delivers two new (and most voted) faces to the Legislative Assembly". MercoPress. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
3. "Falklands lawmakers: "The full time problem"". MercoPress. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
4. "Michael Poole makes history in landslide victory". Penguin News. 8 November 2013. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
5. "Falkland Islands legislative dissolved in advance of November 7 general election". MercoPress. 26 September 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
6. "Names announced for Falklands' General Election 2013". Penguin News. 18 October 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
7. FITV Falkland Islands Television's channel on YouTube
8. "Falklands' electoral debate suggests alternative air-link and better facilities for tourism". MercoPress. 1 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
9. Brock, J. (7 November 2013). "2013 General Election results". Falkland Islands News Network. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
10. Ormond, Krysteen (10 November 2013). "Full results from the Falkland Islands general election 2013". Dear Deborah. Retrieved 10 November 2013.