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Jamaica Votes in Close Contest Shaped by Taxes, Crime and Integrity Questions

Early figures put turnout near 30% by mid-afternoon in a race too close to call.

People stand in line at a polling station to cast their votes in the general election, in Kingston, Jamaica September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy
Mark Golding, opposition leader and candidate for prime minister, and his wife Sandra Golding arrive at a polling station to cast their votes in the general election, in Kingston, Jamaica September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy
FILE - Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness speaks following a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House complex, in Washington, Wednesday, March 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta, File)
Mark Golding, opposition leader and candidate for prime minister, arrives at a polling station to cast his vote in the general election, in Kingston, Jamaica September 3, 2025. REUTERS/Gilbert Bellamy

Overview

  • All 63 parliamentary seats are on the ballot, and the party winning a majority will form the government with its leader becoming prime minister.
  • As of 3 p.m. local time the elections authority reported 30% turnout, compared with about 37% participation in the 2020 general election.
  • PNP leader Mark Golding proposes raising the income tax threshold to J$3.5 million, while Prime Minister Andrew Holness vows to cut the rate to 15%.
  • An Integrity Commission report questioned Holness’s asset declarations; he denies wrongdoing and has secured court permission to challenge the report.
  • Holness campaigns on sharply lower murders, low unemployment and reduced public debt, as opponents highlight inequities and strained infrastructure.