BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Mar. 4, 2021– Yesterday, voters in every municipality throughout the nation went to the polls to cast their votes, and mayors and councilors were elected across the country. After the votes were tallied, it was clear that the outcome was similar to the results of 2020’s general elections, with the People’s United Party (PUP) dominating the polls once more, securing sixty-five of the sixty-seven municipal seats. One major difference between the recent municipal elections and the general elections in November, however, was the size of the voter turnout. An unofficial report published by the Elections and Boundaries Department has estimated Belize’s overall voter turnout to be 55%. The highest turnout was seen in Corozal Town, where 72.15% of voters in that municipality cast a vote. This was followed by 69.22% in San Pedro Town, 61.68% turnout in Benque Viejo Del Carmen, 61.4 % turnout in Orange Walk Town, 61.17% turnout in Punta Gorda Town, 55.59% in San Ignacio Town, 54.18% in Dangriga Town, 53.1% in the City of Belmopan, and 46.41% in Belize City, where voter turnout was the lowest.
Starting with the north, Rigo Vellos (who received 2,885 votes in comparison to his mayoral opponent’s 2035 votes) and his team of six were able to reclaim their stronghold over Corozal Town. The team of new councilors includes Hilberto “Hill” Clarke (2,989 votes), Miguel “Mike” Montalvo (2,939 votes), Rodolfo Narvaez (2,927 votes), Baldemar “Jr.” Pech (2,971 votes), Otoniel “Otto” Riverol (3,022 votes) and Marleni Tapia (2,936 votes). The blue team managed to secure a full-slated victory over the UDP’s Roger Arana (2,035 votes) and his team consisting of: Christobal “Chris” Babb (2,094 votes), Marycelbi “Lupe” Barahona (1974 votes), Jaime “Mohammed” Bautista (1,951 votes), Julie “Teacher Julie” Castro (2,073 votes), Navin “Di Hindu” Ghanwani (2,006 votes), and Vanesa “Van” Vasquez (1,928 votes).
Likewise, in Orange Walk, the PUP’s mayoral candidate, Ladrick “Mad Bull” Sheppard , who garnered 4,521 votes, achieved an emphatic win — receiving almost four times the number of votes that the UDP’s mayoral candidate, Orlando “Chicle” Castillo, received (1,166 votes) and also soundly defeating independent mayoral candidate Antonia Sanchez (53 votes). The remainder of the PUP 7 — Joesie Cantun (4,538 votes), Cadir Escalante (4,523 votes), Doreth Pascacio (4,487 votes), Joanna Rodriguez (4,444 votes), Fernando “Big Sanch” Sanchez (4,544 votes) and Allen Yu (4,466 votes) — were all victorious over the UDP’s Melvin “Twin” Adolphus (1,397 votes), Shamika N. Bull (1,460 votes), Estelita “Ms. Cashew” Carlos (1,435 votes), Rene “Pitbull” Escalante (1,357 votes), Henry Gomez (1,326 votes) and Andi “Teacher” Yam (1,369 votes).
The PUP also defeated the UDP’s team in San Pedro, with newly elected San Pedro mayor “Wally” Nunez receiving the most votes in that municipality (3,462 votes). The other members of his team who will be serving with him in San Pedro’s town council are Dianeli “Danni” Aranda (3,231 votes), Ernesto Bardalez (2,994 votes), Jose “Cas” Castellanos (3,080 votes), Marina Graniel Kay (3,146 votes), Adaly Guerrero Ayuso (3,099 votes) and Johnnia Rivero Duarte (3,026 votes), who all gained significantly more votes than the UDP’s Ruben “Rux” Gonzalez (1,701 votes), Jazelie “Jaz” Azueta (2,092 votes), Lorraine “Reid” Cobb (1,952 votes), Richard “Richy” Cordova (2,007 votes), Kent “Bob” Gabourel (2,303) votes, Raul “Coco” Gonzalez (1,969 votes) and Marceli McCorkle (2,072 votes).
Moving to the West, in Belmopan Sheran “Sharon” Palacio (3,016 votes), Hope Amadi (3,011 votes), Nikki Augustine (3,119 votes), Sanie Cal (3,068 votes), Guadalupe Chicas (3,000 votes) and Pauline Soberanis Tillett (3,058 votes) of the PUP were able to defeat independent mayoral candidate, Ralston “Fraze” Frazer (227 votes) as well as the UDP’s Jacklyn “Jackie” Burns (1,291 votes), Cristina “Chrissy” Chacon (1,311 votes), Paul Chun (1,305 votes), D’Andre “Dee Dee” Martinez (1,439 votes), Victor “Chiqui” Orellana (1,299 votes), Louise Willis (1,456 votes) and Leslie “Big Les” Zelaya ( 1,662 votes).
The outcome of the municipal elections in the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena was a little less clearcut than the results in the other municipalities. Those towns will have a mixed slate, as returning UDP mayor Earl Trapp (3,424 votes) was able to defeat independent mayoral candidate, Roody Lewinskey Wade and PUP mayoral candidate, Ramon “Monchi” Quiroz. Trapp will be serving along with one UDP councilor, Bernadette “Bernie” Fernandez (3,392 votes), who will be joined on the town council by PUP candidates, Zahir Figueroa (3,605 votes), Aaron Albert Mai (3,704 votes), Shirlene Neal (3,585 votes), Matthew Preston Silva (3,684 votes), and Omar Rodriguez (3,376 votes). One PUP candidate who will not be on the council is Alberto C. Palma (3,348 votes), while the defeated UDP candidates include Abdel Cowo (3,084 votes), Amed Figueroa (3,163 votes), Iliana Moreno (3,091 votes), Mark “O.B.” O’Brien (3,320 votes) and Lin Valentine (3,097 votes). The defeated independent councilor candidates include John Escobar (103 votes), Eldon “Dealer” Evans (53 votes), Raymond Evans (64 votes), Linda L. Gonzalez (92 votes), Timoteo Vanegas (62 votes) and J. Vanegas (52 votes).
The residents of Benque Viejo Del Carmen Town also selected a PUP town council, electing Mayor Jorge Rosales (1,231 votes) alongside Teresita “Terry” Alvarado (1,283 votes), Edgar “Eggie” Cocom (1,279 votes), Vania Garcia (1,344 votes), Oscar Gongora (1,225 votes), Carlos “Calo” Iglesias (1,316 votes) and Avelin Martinez Barillas (1,335 votes) as opposed to the UDP’s Miguel “Mike” Guerra (1,192 votes), Manuel “Tach” Contreras (1,073 votes), Alvaro “Bayo” Gongora (1,207 votes), Miguel “Charcoal” Gonzalez (1,077 votes), Jose “Tony” Guerra (1014 votes), Abilio “Billy” Leon (997 votes), and Charles Ponce (1,099 votes).
In the south, the PUP team, consisting of Robert “Mr. Mar” Mariano (1,332 votes), Gilroy Howard Flores (1,307 votes), John Edwin Flores (1,217 votes), Martha Marie Flores Robinson (1,277 votes), Austin “Namule” Petillo (1,450 votes), Liberato Teul (1,215 votes), and Jerris “Nigi” Valentine (1,365 votes), were able to defeat the UDP’s Howard Humphreys (918 votes), Orelle John Castillo (824 votes), Gary Francisco (916 votes), Aron “Jake” Gongora (923 votes), Alexander “Lexus” Joseph (831 votes), Earth Lopez (948 votes), and Albourne “Beeze” Marshall (990 votes) as well as the BPF’s Rodney Calistro “Puppy” Nunez (202 votes), Stephen Laurie (433 votes) and Dwayne “Dince” Sampson (512 votes), and also the independent team of Christopher John ” Master Chris” Lewis (21 votes), and Francis Xavier Marin (106 votes).
In Punta Gorda Town, the PUP team, consisting of Charles Selgado (835 votes), Moses Cal (768 votes), Malcolm Galvez (932 votes), Ulysess “Ulys” Guy (885 votes), Mary Palacio (979 votes), Roberto Virez (913 votes), and Arnold Williams (810 votes), defeated the UDP aspirants Hansel Warrior (297 votes), Linford “Linchy” Avila (403 votes), Briceno “James” Bol (286 votes), Karl “H6” Cabral (415 votes), Glen “Coote” (377 votes), Beverly Roches (303 votes) and Darvin Sho (324 votes) as well as independent candidates Marcel “Bap Play” Palma (411 votes), Ray Anthony “Chucuru” Arzu (256 votes), Vallen Geoffrey “Grippaz” Avila (298 votes), Eleazar Nathan “Leazar” Coc (195 votes), Linston Roy “Blues” Mckenzie (409 votes), Orlando Alberto “Landies” Muschamp (56 votes), Anita Stephanie “Nita” Nicholas (365 votes) and Zipporah “Ms. Zip” Supaul (355 votes).
Finally, in Belize City, the PUP also enjoyed a landslide victory, with Mayor Bernard Wagner (10,067 votes) and his councilors, Javier Castellanos (10,260 votes), Kaya Cattouse (10,816 votes), Micah Goodin (10,350 votes), Stephanne Hamilton (10,399 votes), Edmund Kwan (10,103 votes), Michael “Mike” Novelo (10,137 votes), Natasha Pipersburgh (10,324 votes), Allan Pollard, Jr. (10,886 votes), Deannie Requena (10,187 votes), and Albert Vaughan (9,868 votes) receiving almost double the votes that were garnered by the UDP’s Orson Picart (5849 votes), Kera Bowman (6,074 votes), Andrew Bradley (5,829 votes), Alisha “Lishy” Craig (6,134 votes), Dr. Alain Gonzalez (6,090 votes), Leon “Sensei” Guild (5,913 votes), Allan “Ak” Kelly (5,667 votes), Kenny Morgan (5,872 votes), Anazette Olivera (5,786 votes), Meagan Tasher (5,685 votes) and Shane D. Williams (5,826 votes), and also soundly defeating the BPP’s Richard “Lizaad” McCaulay (212 votes), Garry Matus (472 votes), Patrick “Pat” Williams (923 votes) and independent candidate Ernesto Torres (511 votes). Notably, newcomer Kaya Cattouse and Allan Pollard, Jr., received the most votes in the Belize City municipal elections —with 10,816 votes and 10,866 votes respectively.