1974 Botswana general election

General elections were held in Botswana on 26 October 1974. With 205,050 registered voters, turnout was just 31.22%.[1] The result was a third successive landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), who won 27 of the 32 elected seats,[2] including four in which they were unopposed.[3] Local elections were held on the same day, with a turnout of just 30.3%, and saw the BDP strengthen its position.[3]

1974 Botswana general election

← 1969 26 October 1974 1979 →

32 of the 36 seats in the National Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Registered205,050
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Seretse Khama Bathoen Gaseitsiwe
Party BDP BNF
Leader's seat None[a] Kanye South
Last election 68.33%, 24 seats 13.54%, 3 seats
Seats won 27 2
Seat change Increase3 Decrease1
Popular vote 49,047 7,358
Percentage 76.62% 11.49%
Swing Increase8.29pp Decrease2.05pp

  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Philip Matante Motsamai Mpho
Party BPP BIP
Leader's seat Francistown Okavango
Last election 12.14%, 3 seats 5.99%, 1 seats
Seats won 2 1
Seat change Decrease1 Steady
Popular vote 4,199 3,086
Percentage 6.56% 4.82%
Swing Decrease5.58pp Decrease1.17pp

Results by constituency

President before election

Seretse Khama
BDP

Elected President

Seretse Khama
BDP

Campaign

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A total of 63 candidates contested the elections. The BDP ran a full slate of 32 candidates, the Botswana National Front had 14 candidates, the Botswana People's Party had eight, the Botswana Independence Party had six, and there were three independents.[3]

Results

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Botswana Democratic Party49,04776.6227+3
Botswana National Front7,35811.492–1
Botswana People's Party4,1996.562–1
Botswana Independence Party3,0864.8210
Independents3210.500New
Indirectly-elected members40
Total64,011100.0036+1
Registered voters/turnout205,050
Source: EISA, Nohlen et al.

Notes

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  1. ^ Incumbent presidents are ineligible to contest National Assembly seats; instead, they serve as ex-officio members of Parliament.

References

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  1. ^ Botswana: 1974 National Assembly results EISA
  2. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p113 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  3. ^ a b c Botswana: The October 1974 General Election EISA