Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness poised to make history with consecutive third term

Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald on Sep 4, 2025

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Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness is projected to be the winner of a historic consecutive third-term in office after a tightly contested general elections on Wednesday that pitted his Jamaica Labor Party against the People’s National Party.

“This was not victory by default. Make no mistake about it. This was not an easy victory. This was a fight, which took discipline and focus and we ran a decent campaign,” Holness, 53, said late Wednesday to supporters as the results indicated that the government had managed to hold onto power.

“There are those who are trying to say to be re-elected, it shouldn’t happen because somehow that is a threat to democracy. Well, today has dispelled that,” Holness said. “The people who voted, the majority spoke, and chose Jamaica.”

Only one other Jamaican leader has won a third consecutive term in office, former prime minister P.J. Patterson. The country’s longest-serving prime minister to date, Patterson led the country from 1992 to 2006 as head of the People’s National Party, PNP, before retiring from politics.

Preliminary results from the Electoral Office of Jamaica show the JLP receiving a majority of votes in 34 constituencies across the island, while the PNP received the majority of votes in 29 constituencies.

In all, 63 seats were up for grabs in the House of Representatives, with the winner needing to secure 32 seats to lead the country for the next five years. The final counting of ballots will take place on Thursday at designated counting centers.

Longtime PNP leader Mark Golding accepted the defeat late Wednesday.

“I accept the results of these elections, and although I’m obviously very disappointed in the outcome, I think it is only correct to expressly acknowledge the success that our opponents have managed to gain today,” he told PNP suporters.

The preliminary results show how close the race was as Holness pushed his government’s transform of the economy while also fighting back allegations of corruption. Golding had campaigned on a promise to bring infrastructure and economic improvements to low-earning Jamaicans who continue to struggle to make ends meet.

The Electoral Office of Jamaica confirmed a 39.5% voter turnout in the election.

The closely watched race took place two days after voters in Guyana also headed to the polls. While final results are still not yet in, posted results show Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali poised to win a second, five-year term along with his Indo-dominated People’s Progressive Party.