National voter turnout figure at 81.37 percent; Queen Square highest at close to 90%

By Aaron Humes: Belizean voters defied the odds, braving COVID-19 and flooding concerns to cast their votes on Wednesday to the tune of 81.37 percent, according to figures from the Elections and Boundaries Department.

This is an improvement on the 72.68 percent turnout recorded at the 2015 general election, held five years and eight days earlier.

By district, Corozal narrowly outperformed Orange Walk, with 86.65 percent turnout compared to 85.75 percent. Cayo District, the worst affected by flooding, narrowly outperformed Belize District, 79.87 to 79.77 percent. Stann Creek recorded 78.2 percent turnout in its two constituencies while Toledo brought up the rear with a still-respectable 78.02 percent.

Oddly, the best performing constituencies were both in Belize City: neighbours Albert and Queen’s Square. The former constituency of Prime Minister Dean Barrow saw nearly 90 percent of its voters turn out to choose from his sister Denise, the PUP’s Allan Pollard and the BPP’s Gary Matus. Hugo Patt’s Corozal North was next on 88.17 percent, followed by Albert, where Tracey Taegar Panton held on for a second term over Paul Thompson, with 88.05 percent. The lowest turnout nationwide was a still-commendable 69.11 percent in Toledo East.

Official figures are to be certified by the Department starting today.

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