1997 Summary
Following the previous (April 1992) general elections, Prime Minister John Compton (United Workers Party – UWP) resigned from his post in March 1996 and was succeeded the next month by Mr. Vaughan Lewis. A new, expanded Cabinet was then announced.
In the 1997 elections, the Saint Lucia Labour Party (SLP), under its new leader Kenny Anthony, won a landslide victory over the long-ruling, conservative UWP, which had been in power for all but a brief three-year period (1979-1982) since 1964. On polling day, it managed to retain only one of the 11 seats it had held as even Mr. Lewis went down to defeat in his constituency. The socialist SLP, on the other hand, jumped from six to 16 seats. In this context, Mr. Anthony became Prime Minister and his Cabinet was formed on 26 May.
Source: Caribbean Elections
| 1997 Summary Results | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constituency | Registered Votes | SLP | UWP | IND | Rejected | Votes Cast | Turnout |
| Gros Islet | 9,137 | 3,989 | 1,999 | 608 | 150 | 6,746 | 73.83% |
| Babonneau | 7,643 | 3,060 | 1,781 | – | 148 | 4,989 | 65.28% |
| Castries North | 12,188 | 3,960 | 2,604 | – | 85 | 6,649 | 54.55% |
| Castries East | 12,049 | 4,420 | 2,377 | – | 260 | 7,057 | 58.57% |
| Castries Central | 2326 | 767 | 718 | – | 13 | 1,498 | 64.40% |
| Castries South | 5,482 | 2,131 | 1,048 | 190 | 78 | 3,447 | 62.88% |
| Anse La Raye & Canaries | 6,228 | 2813 | 1,469 | – | 58 | 4,340 | 69.69% |
| Soufriere | 6,199 | 2596 | 1548 | – | 99 | 4,243 | 68.45% |
| Choiseul | 7,150 | 2818 | 2346 | – | 105 | 5,269 | 73.69% |
| Laborie | 4,987 | 2338 | 1435 | – | 28 | 3,801 | 76.22% |
| Vieux Fort South | 4,898 | 2262 | 1285 | 9 | 43 | 3,599 | 73.48% |
| Vieux Fort North | 4,125 | 2052 | 730 | – | 68 | 2,850 | 69.09% |
| Micoud South | 4,714 | 1,687 | 921 | 629 | 56 | 3,293 | 69.86% |
| Micoud North | 5,223 | 1668 | 1828 | 22 | 49 | 3,567 | 68.29% |
| Dennery South | 3,368 | 1,404 | 944 | 36 | 25 | 2,409 | 71.53% |
| Dennery North | 3,055 | 2,368 | 1,657 | – | 29 | 4,054 | 66.95% |
| Castries South East | 8,791 | 3,870 | 1,635 | – | 269 | 5,774 | 68.68% |
| TOTAL | 110,563 | 44,203 | 26,325 | 1,494 | 1,563 | 73,585 | 66.55% |
| 1997 Vote Distribution | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constituency | Code | Total Votes | % Votes | Candidates | Seats |
| St. Lucia Labour Party | SLP | 44,203 | 61.37% | 17 | 16 |
| United Workers Party | UWP | 26,325 | 36.55% | 17 | 1 |
| Independent | IND | 1,494 | 2.07% | 6 | 0 |
| TOTAL VALID VOTES | 72,022 | 100% | 40 | 17 | |
Party Legend
FREE – Freedom Party
NA – National Alliance
PLP – Progressive Labour Party
SLP – Saint Lucia Labour Party
UWP – United Workers Party
IND – Independent