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31 of the 35 seats in the National Assembly 16 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Registered | 175,042 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General elections were held in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 March 1965, the country's first election under universal suffrage.[1] The result was a landslide victory for the Bechuanaland Democratic Party,[2] with Seretse Khama becoming Prime Minister. Following the elections, the country became independent as Botswana on 30 September 1966, at which point Khama became President.[1]
The elections were contested by three main parties;[3] the Bechuanaland Democratic Party led by Khama, the Bechuanaland People's Party led by Philip Matante and the Bechuanaland Independence Party led by Motsamai Mpho. There was also a single independent candidate, G.E.N. Mannathoko, who ran in Tati West.[4] In the Lobatsi and Barolong constituency, there were two candidates from the Bechuanaland People's Party, one of which represented the Motsete branch.[4]
Despite acceptance that the BDP was likely to win easily, there was widespread interest in the elections. The BDP was seen as a moderate party with responsible leaders and realistic policies; in contrast the leaders of the other parties were perceived to be quarrelsome and overly ethnocentric.[1] Three BDP candidates were elected unopposed in Ghanzi, Kgalagadi and Kweneng West.[4]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
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| Bechuanaland Democratic Party | 113,167 | 80.38 | 28 | |
| Bechuanaland People's Party | 19,964 | 14.18 | 3 | |
| Bechuanaland Independence Party | 6,491 | 4.61 | 0 | |
| Bechuanaland People's Party (Motsete Branch) | 377 | 0.27 | 0 | |
| Independents | 789 | 0.56 | 0 | |
| Indirectly-elected members | 4 | |||
| Total | 140,788 | 100.00 | 35 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 175,042 | – | ||
| Source: Nohlen et al. | ||||
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