If you were standing in Half-Way Tree on the night of September 3, 2025, you would’ve felt the tension thick enough to cut with a machete. For hours, the numbers coming out of the Electoral Office of Jamaica were basically a coin flip. One minute the green of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) looked safe, the next, the orange of the People's National Party (PNP) was surging in areas nobody expected.
Honestly, it was a nail-biter.
By the time the dust settled and the official tallies were confirmed, Andrew Holness secured a historic third consecutive term as Prime Minister. That’s a massive deal. No JLP leader has ever done that before. But if you look at the raw data, this wasn't the landslide victory the JLP enjoyed in 2020. Not even close.
The Final Numbers That Shook the Island
Basically, the JLP won the 2025 election with 35 seats, while the PNP took 28 seats.
Think about that for a second. In the previous 2020 election, the JLP had a massive 49-to-14 majority. This time around, they lost 14 seats. Mark Golding, the PNP leader who many people—including some in his own party—underestimated, managed to double his party's presence in Parliament.
The popular vote was even tighter. The JLP pulled in roughly 412,705 votes (about 50.5%), while the PNP was right on their heels with 401,398 votes (49.2%). We are talking about a gap of just over 11,000 people. In a country of nearly three million, that is a razor-thin margin.
Who won Jamaica election 2025 and why was it so close?
The short answer is Andrew Holness won, but he won a country that is clearly feeling some "incumbency fatigue." The JLP campaigned hard on their economic record. They pointed to the 43% drop in killings earlier in 2025 and record-low unemployment. They even promised to double the minimum wage to J$32,000 per week.
But then you have the other side of the coin.
While the macro-economics looked good on paper, the "man in the street" was feeling the pinch of inflation and the cost of living. Mark Golding and the PNP tapped into that. They shifted the conversation to things like the income tax threshold, promising to raise it from J$1.5 million to J$3.5 million. People liked the sound of more money in their pockets right now, rather than waiting for long-term "prosperity" to trickle down.
The Integrity Commission Factor
You've also got to talk about the "Integrity Commission" drama. Throughout the campaign, the PNP hammered Holness on his financial declarations. There was a lot of noise about his assets and income, which the opposition used to paint a picture of a lack of transparency.
Holness fired back, saying his life was an "open book" and that he didn't descend into "the gutter" to fight. It worked well enough to keep him in Jamaica House, but the loss of 14 seats suggests that a lot of voters were either skeptical or just tired of the back-and-forth.
The Big Problem Nobody Talks About: Voter Turnout
Here is the really wild part: voter turnout was only about 39.96%. That is incredibly low. It means that roughly 60% of registered Jamaicans stayed home. They didn't want the green, they didn't want the orange, or they just didn't believe that either side would fix the potholes in their road or the water in their pipes.
It’s kinda scary for a democracy when more people choose "none of the above" than actually vote for the winner. Holness acknowledged this in his victory speech at the JLP headquarters on Belmont Road. He said the government needs "keener ears" to listen to the people. He’s right. If you win with less than 40% of the population showing up, you don't have a mandate; you have a warning.
Major Upsets and Key Shifts
A few big names didn't make it back to Gordon House. Homer Davis, a Minister of State, lost his seat. On the other hand, the PNP made serious gains in places like St. Mary South Eastern and Kingston Central.
- JLP Holdout: Andrew Holness kept his seat (obviously) and maintained control of the West, though with smaller margins.
- PNP Resurgence: Mark Golding proved he could lead a competitive national campaign, silencing critics who thought he lacked the "charismatic" touch of past leaders like Michael Manley.
- The Gender Gap: Interestingly, we saw 19 women elected to the House of Representatives. It’s a record for Jamaica, which is one of the few bright spots of the 2025 cycle.
What Happens Now?
Now that the victory laps are over, the JLP has a tough five years ahead. They’ve promised big things, especially regarding the minimum wage and further crime reduction. They also have the "Republic" question hanging over their heads.
There was supposed to be a referendum on Jamaica becoming a republic (removing the King as head of state) before the election. That got pushed back to 2026. So, keep an eye on that.
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The JLP’s 35-28 majority is enough to pass regular laws, but for big constitutional changes, they might actually have to talk to the PNP. Imagine that—bipartisanship in Kingston!
Actionable Insights for Jamaicans (and the Diaspora)
If you're looking at these results and wondering what they mean for your wallet or your next trip home, here are three things to watch:
- Monitor the Minimum Wage: If the JLP follows through on the J$32,000 hike, expect the cost of services (and maybe your favorite patties) to go up slightly as businesses adjust.
- Infrastructure Spending: Holness explicitly mentioned fixing community roads and water pipes in his victory speech. If you live in a "swing" constituency that flipped PNP or stayed JLP by a hair, you’ll likely see some construction crews soon. Governments love to reward (or win back) those areas.
- The Republic Referendum: This is the big one for 2026. Start reading up on the proposed models for a Jamaican President. It’s not just a name change; it’s a total shift in how the country is governed.
The 2025 election showed us a Jamaica that is divided and, frankly, a bit cynical. Andrew Holness has his third term, but he’s walking on much thinner ice than before. Whether he can turn that "prosperity" slogan into something people actually feel in their pockets will determine if the JLP survives 2030.
Stay informed by checking the official Electoral Commission of Jamaica (ECJ) website for the final gazetted constituency breakdowns. If you're abroad, keep an eye on the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) for updates on when those promised wage increases actually hit the books.