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1956 Trinidad and Tobago general election

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1956 Trinidad and Tobago general election

← 1950 24 September 1956 (1956-09-24) 1961 →

All 24 seats in the Legislative Council
Turnout80.09% (Increase9.96pp)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Eric Williams Bhadase Sagan Maraj
Party PNM PDP
Leader since 1955 1953
Seats won 13 5
Percentage 39.75% 20.85%

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Tubal Uriah Butler A. P. T. James
Party Butler Party TLP–NDP
Leader since 1936
Last election 6 2
Seats won 2 2
Percentage 11.75% 5.18%

Chief Minister before election

Albert Gomes
(Party of Political Progress Groups)

Subsequent Chief Minister

Eric Williams
(People's National Movement)

General elections were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 24 September 1956.[1] 129 candidates from nine political parties contested for 24 seats in the legislative council.[2] The result was a victory for the People's National Movement, which won 13 of the 24 seats. Voter turnout was 80.1%.[3]

In one of the biggest races in the 1956 general election, West Indies cricketer Learie Constantine of the PNM defeated Radio Trinidad announcer Surujpat Mathura of the PDP in Tunapuna.[4]

Results

[edit]
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
People's National Movement105,15339.7513New
People's Democratic Party55,14820.855New
Butler Party31,07111.752–4
Party of Political Progress Groups14,0195.300–2
Trinidad Labour Party–National Development Party13,6925.1820
Caribbean National Labour Party3,8641.460New
Caribbean People's Democratic Party6270.240New
West Indian Independence Party4460.170New
Independents40,52315.322–4
Total264,543100.0024+6
Valid votes264,54397.43
Invalid/blank votes6,9912.57
Total votes271,534100.00
Registered voters/turnout339,02880.09
Source: Elections and Boundaries Commission

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen (2005). Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook, Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 635. ISBN 0-19-928357-5.
  2. ^ "Trinidad and Tobago General Election Results 1956". Caribbean Elections. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  3. ^ Nohlen, p639
  4. ^ "Constantine, Learie". Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 15 May 2021.