THE Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ) official results for the February 26 local government elections showed the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) winning seven municipal corporations and the People’s National Party (PNP) five, with one ending in a tie.

However, in a release and in several social media posts Friday the PNP claimed that it secured “victories in seven municipalities across Jamaica, a significant increase from five in 2016”.

The JLP, however, maintained that the EOJ, the sole body responsible for elections, has officially announced that it had won seven of the country’s 13 municipal corporations, so it won the elections.

According to the EOJ, the PNP secured victory in five divisions while the contest for the Kingston & St Andrew Municipal Corporation ended in a tie.

“The JLP has expressed grave concerns over the PNP’s response to these official results and condemns the PNP’s attempts to obfuscate the election’s outcome. The JLP views actions such as Mark Golding’s premature claim of victory and his subsequent rejection of the official results as a threat to Jamaica’s democratic integrity,” said a JLP statement.

In its release, the PNP said it “secured victories in seven crucial local authorities, including the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), where a PNP councillor will now assume the role of mayor. Additionally, the city municipality of Portmore, the only directly-voting mayorship in Jamaica, saw the return of a PNP mayor, while the party also secured mayoral positions in St Catherine, Manchester, Westmoreland, Hanover, and St Mary. This triumph underscores the PNP’s commitment to effective local governance and community empowerment.”

Added the party: “The PNP emerged as the frontrunner by winning more divisions across Jamaica, securing 115 out of 228 divisions, up from 98 in 2016, demonstrating the broad and diverse support for the party across the nation. In contrast, the Jamaica Labour Party experienced a reduction in its majority, losing the municipalities of KSAMC and St Mary, along with 17 divisions they controlled going into the elections.”

The official results from the EOJ showed that the Kingston and St Andrew municipality ended in a 20-20 tie, but will have a PNP mayor because the party secured more votes for its 20 seats. The deputy mayor in this case will have to come from the JLP.

Portmore City Municipality has the island’s only directly elected mayor, which was won by the PNP’s Leon Thomas. However, divisional seats in Portmore are already counted in the 41 seats in St Catherine, which the PNP won 22-19. If the Government goes ahead with designating Portmore parish status, those councillors will no longer be able to sit in the St Catherine Municipal Corporation.

In its statement, the JLP said the Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) and the EOJ are institutions globally respected for upholding electoral integrity. The JLP also accused the PNP of undermining these institutions and eroding public confidence in them by disseminating false information and misleading graphics on social media, which suggest a PNP victory.

The JLP, in calling on Jamaicans to reject the actions of the PNP, cited the potential for disruption and instability while drawing parallels to events like those witnessed in the United States on January 6, 2021.

The party underscored the need to respect and accept election results as a fundamental tenet of democratic practice and the expression of the will of the Jamaican people.

Parishes won by the JLP are: St Thomas, Portland, St Ann, Trelawny, St James, St Elizabeth, and Clarendon, while the PNP took: St Mary, Hanover, Westmoreland, St Catherine and Manchester. Kingston and St Andrew ended in a tie.