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January 1961 Zanzibari general election

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General elections were held in Zanzibar on 17 January 1961 for the Legislative Council. The result saw the Afro-Shirazi Party win ten seats, the Zanzibar Nationalist Party nine, and the Zanzibar and Pemba People's Party three.[1]

The Afro-Shirazi Party (ASP) won ten seats, and the Zanzibar Nationalist Party (ZNP) won nine; the ASP won the constituency of Chake-Chake by just one vote, with 1,538 votes to the ZNP's 1,537.[2] The Guinness Book of World Records listed the result in its annual editions under "Closest election".[3]

As both the ASP and the ZNP attempted to form a government, two ZPPP members joined the ZNP and one the ASP. Due to the resulting stalemate, fresh elections were held in June.[4]

Results

[edit]
PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Afro-Shirazi Party36,69843.1910+5
Zanzibar Nationalist Party32,72438.529+9
Zanzibar and Pemba People's Party15,54118.293New
Total84,963100.0022+16
Registered voters/turnout94,310
Source: African Elections Database

References

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  1. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p. 882 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  2. ^ "Afro-Shirazi Party Wins in Zanzibar", Africa Special Report (African-American Institute, 1961) p1951
  3. ^ Mark Young, ed., The Guinness Book of World Records 1998 (Bantam Books, 1998) p228
  4. ^ Zanzibar: 1961 Elections EISA