The 2020 Belizean general election will elect and the members of the House of Representatives in the National Assembly. On 14 March 2017, Prime Minister of Belize, Dean Barrow stated that he will call for early elections in November 2019. But in March 2018, Barrow pushed back and set it for 13 February 2020. On 22 May 2019, Barrow to the Media that he will strip off his call for early elections and insisted that there will be no General election before 1 November 2020 in Belize. Therefore, the next Belizean general election will be held on Sunday, 1 November 2020.
Date
Deadline
The Deadline for Candidate Nominations will be on 1 October 2020, with political Campaigning lasting for four Weeks until Polling day on 1 November 2020. On the Day of the Election, Polling stations across the Country will be open from 7 am, and closed at 10 pm. The Date chosen for the election made it the third to be held in November since 1979.
Eligibility
Individuals eligible to vote have to be registered to vote by Midnight on 26 September 2020. To be eligible to vote, Individuals had to be aged 18 or over; residing as a Commonwealth citizen at an address in Belize, or a Belizean citizen overseas who registered to Vote in the last 15 years and not legally excluded (on grounds of detainment in Prison, a Mental hospital, or on the run from Law enforcement) or disqualified from Voting. Anyone who qualified as an Anonymous elector will have until midnight on 26 October to Register.
Previous election
The previous general election was held on 4 November 2015, and the new National Assembly was opened on 13 November 2015, which was also the date that the first sitting of the National Assembly of Belize began after the 2015 Belizean general election. According to Section 84 of the Constitution of Belize, the National Assembly of Belize (House of Representatives and Senate) must be dissolved every “five years from the date when the two Houses, first met” unless dissolved sooner by the Governor-General of Belize upon the advice of the Prime Minister. A general election must be called within three months of a dissolution, meaning the latest possible date for Barrow to call the next Belizean general election is on 13 February 2021. If by any chance the next Belizean general election is not held by 13 February 2021, Barrow may be forced to vacate the office of Prime Minister, however he may still remain as Leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), but he will have to make a Snap! decision on a Caretaker Prime Minister of Belize to formally announce a date for the next general election. The Caretaker Prime Minister must be from the ruling, UDP and must also be a Cabinet minister in government.
Despite the five-year term of the National Assembly, three of the last four general elections have been called at least a year early. Both Prime Minister, Dean Barrow and Leader of the Opposition, Johnny Briceño of the People’s United Party (PUP) are on record supporting lowering the maximum five-year term of the National Assembly of Belize to four years. This was also one of the promises that Briceño promised the People of Belize should the PUP be elected in the next election.
Leadership
Barrow first declared on 1 March 2016 that he would be stepping down as Prime Minister on 13 February 2020 and is currently finding a suitable successor to succeed him for that position. He also told the Media that the next election is likely to be held in early 2020 and also scheduled a UDP Leadership convention and election in May 2019. His remarks came as he was being questioned about the then pending United Democratic Party First Deputy Leadership election and convention. On 1 April 2017, at the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry annual general meeting Barrow narrowed down his departure as Prime Minister to less than a year and stated that he will retire in March 2018. He also narrowed down the date of the Leadership convention to 13 February 2018. He also declared that “Since this will be my last opportunity to address your annual gathering, I close by saying how thankful I am for what has in the main been a constructive relationship with the Chamber”.