At stake in this election:

• 36 seats in the House of Assembly

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II *
• Head of Government: Premier Paula COX
• Assembly: Bermuda has a bicameral Parliament consisting of the Senate with 11 seats and the House of Assembly with 36 seats.

* The Queen is represented by Governor George FERGUSSON.

Description of electoral system:

• The Queen is hereditary head of state.
• Premier is appointed by the governor.
• In the Senate 11 members are appointed to serve 5-year terms*. In the House of Assembly 36 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

* Members of the Senate are appointed by the governor, the premier and members of the opposition parties.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: One Bermuda Alliance (OBA)*
  • Leader: Craig CANNONIER
  • Seats won in last House of Assembly election: N/A
• Party: Progressive Labour Party (PLP)
  • Leader: Paula COX
  • Seats won in last House of Assembly election: 22
• Independent(s): Independents
  • Leader: N/A
  • Seats won in last House of Assembly election: N/A

* Party was formed in 2011 as a result of the merger of the United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance. In the 2007 elections, the United Bermuda Party had won 14 seats in Parliamentary elections.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 69,080 (July 2012 est.)
• Registered Voters: 43,652 (December 2012 )