At stake in this election:

• 31 seats in the House of Representatives

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Queen ELIZABETH II *
• Head of Government: Prime Minister Dean BARROW
• Assembly: Belize has a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Senate with 12 seats and the House of Representatives with 31 seats.

* Queen ELIZABETH II is represented by Governor General Sir Colville YOUNG, Sr.

Description of electoral system:

• The Queen is hereditary N/A.
• Prime Minister is appointed by the governor-general.
• In the Senate 12 members are appointed by the governor-general to serve 5-year terms. In the House of Representatives 31 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 5-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Party: United Democratic Party
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 17
  Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 25
• Party: People's United Party
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 14
  Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 6
• Party: People's National Party
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
• Party: Vision Inspired by the People
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0
• Independent(s): Independents
  Leader: N/A
  Seats won in this House of Representatives election: 0
  Seats won in last House of Representatives election: 0

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 327,719 (July 2011 est.)
• Registered Voters: 178,054 (March 2012 )