Belizean municipal elections, 2006

Belize municipal elections, 2006 were a series of local elections held on March 1, 2006, to fill vacancies for town councils in Corozal, Orange Walk, San Pedro, San Ignacio, Benque Viejo, Dangriga, Punta Gorda, Belize City and Belmopan. All the councils except Belize City elected one mayor and six councillors; Belize City elected one mayor and ten councillors.

Sixty-seven seats were available, contested by 153 persons representing four political parties. There were four independent candidates, not counting the entrants from the independent political parties VIP and WTP. The United Democratic Party (UDP) won sixty four seats, the People's United Party (PUP) three, and all other parties and independents none.

This was the second straight combined municipal election, following the one conducted in 2003. Previous to this date, elections were within a year to eighteen months of each other. Future elections will also likely be held together, starting with the 2009 election.

Belizeans protested for most of 2005 over the conditions of the country and the seeming ignorance of the ruling People's United Party toward these conditions. Toward the end of 2005 the PUP and the Opposition UDP turned their attention to preparing for the municipal elections in 2006.

The UDP held their convention to select candidates in Belize City on October 23, 2005, with winner Zenaida Moya doubling up her three male competitors, Bernard Watler, Rudolph "Sir Andie" Anderson, and Ernesto Torres in the mayoral race, and a field of 22 councillor candidates being narrowed to ten, those ten being: Laura Esquivel, Hyacinth Latchman, Leila Peyrefitte, Anthony Michael, Phillip Willoughby, Dean Samuels, Mark King, Calvert Quilter, Gilroy Middleton, and Wayne Usher. (Channel 5, October 24) Moya possessed a strong resume and support from various sectors of society which pushed her over the top. The UDP subsequently selected candidates for the other councils between mid-November 2005 and February 2006. One convention of note happened in Benque Viejo, where sitting Mayor Said Badi Guerra was unseated in conventions in December in favour of former Mayor Marconi Sosa. (Channel 5, December 12) Another incident came on February 10, when Dangriga mayoral nominee Frank Mena was injured in a freak accident and confined to his hospital bed through election day. Mena was nominated on and won election from his hospital bed for the UDP.

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