2017 Bermudian general election

General elections were held in Bermuda on 18 July 2017 to elect all 36 members to the House of Assembly. The result was a victory for the opposition Progressive Labour Party, which won 24 of the 36 seats. Incumbent Premier Michael Dunkley subsequently resigned as leader of the One Bermuda Alliance.[1] Bob Richards, a senior minister and deputy premier in Dunkley's government unexpectedly lost his Devonshire East seat.[2]

2017 Bermudian general election

18 July 2017
Turnout	72.98%(1.9%)
First party Second party   Leader Edward David Burt Michael Dunkley Party PLP OBA Leader's seat Pembroke West Central Smiths North Seats before 17 19 Seats won 24 12 Seat change 7 7 Popular vote 20,059 13,832 Percentage 58.89% 40.61% Swing 12.82% 11.07%
Popular vote by constituency. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding. Click the map for more details.
Premier before election Michael Dunkley OBA Elected Premier Edward David Burt PLP

Background

Under section 49(2) of the Bermuda Constitution Order 1968, the Parliament of Bermuda must be dissolved by the Governor five years after its first meeting following the previous elections (unless the Premier advises the Governor to dissolve parliament sooner). Under section 51(1) of the Constitution, a general election must be held no later than three months after a dissolution.[3] As the first meeting of the parliament elected in December 2012 took place on 8 February 2013,[4] meaning parliament would have needed to be dissolved before midnight on 7 February 2018 for elections to take place before 7 May 2018.

However, after the ruling One Bermuda Alliance lost its majority in the House of Assembly when two of its MPs left to sit as independents, the opposition Progressive Labour Party proposed a vote of no-confidence which was scheduled for 9 June 2017. Dunkley pre-empted the vote on 8 June 2017 by asking the Governor to dissolve the House and call elections for 18 July 2017.[5]

Campaign

The PLP was widely considered to have run on a populist platform, highlighting peoples' disenchantment with the political system. The campaign had been compared to the UK Independence Party and Donald Trump's electoral campaigns.[6] The party's campaign slogan was "Let's Put Bermudians First".[7]

In contrast, the OBA had campaigned on its economic record in government,[8] using the slogan "Forward Together, Not Back".[9]

Results

Party	Votes	%	Seats	+/–
Progressive Labour Party	20,059	58.89	24	+7
One Bermuda Alliance	13,832	40.61	12	–7
Independents	169	0.50	0	0
Invalid/blank votes	0	–	–	–
Total	34,060	100	36	0
Registered voters/turnout	46,669	72.98	–	–
Source: Parliamentary Registry

References

1. Dunkley resigns as OBA leader The Royal Gazette, 19 July 2017
2. The agony of defeat The Royal Gazette, 19 July 2017
3. Bermuda Constitution Order 1968 Bermuda Laws
4. Sitting number 1 of the 2013 Session Archived 2015-09-08 at the Wayback Machine Hansard
5. Dunkley calls election for July 18 The Royal Gazette, 9 June 2017
6. Five things to look out for in the election, The Royal Gazette, 13 July 2017
7. PLP Candidates: Let's Put Bermudians First Progressive Labour Party (Youtube)
8. The people have spoken, The Royal Gazette, 19 July 2017
9. Coming soon. #ForwardTogetherNotBack Michael H Dunkley (Twitter)