Election Date Set: Belize to Hold General Elections on March 12, Nomination Day on February 24

Speculations are over as the government has confirmed Wednesday, March 12 as the date for the general elections, and February 24 for Nomination Day.  After much speculation and the extra secrecy placed by the Briceno Administration, Prime Minister John Briceno made an official announcement this morning during a live broadcast.  The broadcast was done following a meeting with the Governor General to have the Parliament dissolved and the have a writ issued with the election date.  Here is a clip of this morning’s presentation out of the Office of the Prime Minister in Belmopan.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Things have changed dramatically, as we promised they would. Every day, since you gave us that massive vote of confidence, my colleagues and I have worked to deliver on Plan Belize and to maintain your trust. The results are clear across our cities, towns, and villages. Belizeans are working. Earning higher wages. Productivity has soared, expanding the economy. Hundreds of millions in new private sector investments have spawned development and public funds are being invested wisely in areas that matter most to you. Healthcare, education, streets, drains, roads, housing, and citizen security. These unprecedented results were delivered without any new taxes. Plan Belize is making good on its pledge to national transformation. With this sterling report card in hand and after careful reflection and prayer, I have decided that now is the appropriate time to seek from you a renewal of our electoral mandate. Earlier, I advised the Governor General to dissolve the National Assembly today and to appoint Wednesday, March 12, 2025 as the date for general elections. Nomination day for candidates in all 31 constituencies is to be February 24, 2025. I encourage all Belizeans to vote. Election day is your chance, a chance to be cherished, where in free and fair elections you choose the person and the party that can best represent your interests.”

With the election now 29 days away, there is a process that the Elections and Boundaries Department will have to oversee.  Minister Henry Charles Usher spoke exclusively with Love News last week on the timeline following the call of the elections.

Henry Charles Usher, PUP Chairman: “The Prime Minister is the one who will advise the Governor-General to dissolve Parliament. Then that triggers a timeline as to when elections can be. It can be anywhere up to 90 days after the dissolution of Parliament. When the Prime Minister does do that, the Governor General will have to issue what’s called a writ of election and that writ of election will set the election day. It will also set the nomination day. Nomination day has to be 15 to 21 days before the election day. Sp those dates will be known and of course the parliament will be dissolved meaning that you won’t have elected representatives anymore. You will have standard bearers going forward for the next general election. The CEOs and so on they continue their work in their ministries though so that’s important to understand that the executive arm of the party, meaning the CEOs in their ministries continue to work.”

With the election date now set, Belizeans across the country are gearing up for what will be a highly anticipated election.