Vanguard Party
Encyclopedia
The Vanguard Nationalist and Socialist Party was a minor political party in the Bahamas in the 1970s and 1980s.
The party was founded in 1971 by a group belonging to the youth organization of Progressive Liberal Party
who were inspired by the Black Panther Party
in the United States. In the 1977 elections
it put up five candidates, but received only 55 votes and failed to win a seat. John T McCartney became party president in 1979, and whilst it improved its performance in the 1982 elections
, with 18 candidates receiving 181 votes, it still failed to win a seat. The last election contested by the party was the a by-election
in St. Barnabas in 1987, which was not contested by the official opposition Free National Movement
. The party's candidate was its then-leader, Lionel Carey. Carey came bottom in the poll, below the Workers' Party
.
The party was never taken seriously by most Bahamian voters, a fact reflected in their abysmal vote totals. Every single candidate that ever ran on behalf of the party lost their deposit (their 1982 manifesto called for its elimination). Members addressed each other as 'comrade', which was also lampooned.
The party was founded in 1971 by a group belonging to the youth organization of Progressive Liberal Party
Progressive Liberal Party
The Progressive Liberal Party is a populist party in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas commonly abbreviated PLP. The PLP lies on the left of the political spectrum....
who were inspired by the Black Panther Party
Black Panther Party
The Black Panther Party wasan African-American revolutionary leftist organization. It was active in the United States from 1966 until 1982....
in the United States. In the 1977 elections
Bahamian general election, 1977
General elections were held in the Bahamas on 19 July 1977. The result was a victory for the Progressive Liberal Party, which won 30 of the 38 seats. Voter turnout was 92.6%.-Results:-Elected MPs:...
it put up five candidates, but received only 55 votes and failed to win a seat. John T McCartney became party president in 1979, and whilst it improved its performance in the 1982 elections
Bahamian general election, 1982
General elections were held in the Bahamas on 10 June 1982. The result was a victory for the Progressive Liberal Party, which won 32 of the 43 seats. Voter turnout was 89.8%.-Results:...
, with 18 candidates receiving 181 votes, it still failed to win a seat. The last election contested by the party was the a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in St. Barnabas in 1987, which was not contested by the official opposition Free National Movement
Free National Movement
The Free National Movement is a socially liberal and economically conservative political party in The Bahamas. It is currently the ruling party, winning 23 of the 41 seats in the Bahamas House of Assembly on May 2, 2007; two of these seats are currently being contested in Electorial Court by the...
. The party's candidate was its then-leader, Lionel Carey. Carey came bottom in the poll, below the Workers' Party
Workers' Party (Bahamas)
The Workers' Party was a minor political party in the Bahamas. It contested the 1982 elections, in which it received only 31 votes and failed to win a seat....
.
The party was never taken seriously by most Bahamian voters, a fact reflected in their abysmal vote totals. Every single candidate that ever ran on behalf of the party lost their deposit (their 1982 manifesto called for its elimination). Members addressed each other as 'comrade', which was also lampooned.