At stake in this election:

• 31 seats in the House of Representatives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Dean BARROW
• Assembly: Belize has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate with 12 seats and the House of Representatives with 31 seats.

* Queen ELIZABETH II is represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr.

Description of electoral system:

• The Queen is hereditary N/A.
• Prime Minister is appointed by the governor-general.
• In the Senate 12 members are appointed by the governor-general to serve 5-year terms. In the House of Representatives 31 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: United Democratic Party
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 17
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 25
• Party: People's United Party
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 14
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 6
• Party: People's National Party
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
• Party: Vision Inspired by the People
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
• Independent(s): Independents
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  • Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 327,719 (July 2011 est.)
• Registered Voters: 178,054 (March 2012 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 168,537 (2012)

·         Is Belize a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (7 March 1990)

·         Has Belize ratified CEDAW: Yes (16 May 1990)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 1 (House of Representatives); 5 (Senate) (following 2012 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 101 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Belize a signatory to CRPD: Yes (9 May 2011)

·         Has Belize ratified CRPD: Yes (2 June 2011)

·         Population with a disability: 49,157 (est.)