The Azores Regional Election (1976) (Portuguese: Eleições legislativas regionais nos Açores, 1976) was an election held on 27 June 1976 for the first Legislative Assembly of the Portuguese Autonomous Region of the Azores.
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43 seats to the Legislative Assembly of the Azores 22 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Turnout | 67.5% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Map of Azores showing constituencies won | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout was 67.51 percent (109,826 voted of the 162,677 registered participants), resulting in a victory of the Social Democratic Party led by Mota Amaral, who became the first President through election.
Background
editUntil the 19th century the administration of the Azores had been separated from the national government, and considered overseas territories. After 1895, the Azores and Madeira obtained their own level of administrative autonomy that was established in the Portuguese Constitution.[2] In this form the islands began to function as autonomous districts, similar to the district Juntas Gerais, which continued until 1974. But, in practice, these communities were abandoned administratively, and had no means to improve development, resulting in immigration.[2] Following the Carnation Revolution, from April 1974 until August 1975, the Azores continued as autonomous districts, until the Junta Governativa dos Açores was constituted under President General Altino de Magalhães and six other councilmen:[2]
- Dr. Henrique Aguiar Rodrigues (PPD), to handle Assuntos Sociais, Trabalho e Emigração (Social Issues, Work and Immigration);
- Dr. José Adriano Borges de Carvalho, (later substituted by Dr. Álvaro Monjardino) (PPD), as the coordinator of the Coordenação Económica e Finanças (Economic Coordination and Finances);
- José Pacheco de Almeida (PPD), to run Transportes, Comércio, Comunicações e Turismo (Transport, Commerce, Communication and Tourism);
- Eng. José António Martins Goulart (PS), in the role of Educação, Investigação Científica, Comunicação Social e Cultural (Education, Scientific Investigation, Social Communication and Culture);
- Engº Leonildo Garcia Vargas (PS), in Administração Local, Equipamento Social e Ambiente (Local Administration, Social Equipment and Environment);
- Dr. António de Albuquerque Jácome Corrêa, to administer Agricultura, Pescas e Indústria (Agriculture, Fishing and Industry)
The Junta Governantiva which was named on 22 August 1975 constituted a provisional government, that tried to respond to several of the post-Revolution problems, and to prepare a proposal for the first Politico-Administrative Statute for the Autonomous Region of the Azores.
Political parties
edit- Democratic and Social Centre (CDS)
- Movement of Socialist Left (MES)
- Portuguese Communist Party (PCP)
- Communist Party of the Portuguese Workers (PCTP/MRPP)
- Socialist Party (PS)
- Social Democratic Party (PSD)
Distribution of MPs by constituency
editThe following table contains the number of seats that each constituency can elect.[3]
| Constituency | Total MPs |
Registered voters |
|---|---|---|
| Corvo | 2 | 309 |
| Faial | 4 | 10,898 |
| Flores | 3 | 2,680 |
| Graciosa | 3 | 4,324 |
| Pico | 4 | 11,413 |
| Santa Maria | 3 | 4,766 |
| São Jorge | 4 | 7,711 |
| São Miguel | 13 | 80,364 |
| Terceira | 8 | 40,212 |
| Total | 43 | 162,677 |
Summary of votes and seats
edit| Parties | Votes | % | Seats | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | % | ||||
| Social Democratic | 59,114 | 53.83 | 27 | 62.79 | |
| Socialist | 36,049 | 32.82 | 14 | 32.56 | |
| Democratic and Social Centre | 8,291 | 7.55 | 2 | 4.65 | |
| Communist | 2,387 | 2.17 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Portuguese Workers' Communist | 638 | 0.58 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Movement of Socialist Left | 167 | 0.15 | 0 | 0.00 | |
| Total valid | 106,646 | 97.10 | 43 | 100.00 | |
| Blank ballots | 1,304 | 1.19 | |||
| Invalid ballots | 1,876 | 1.71 | |||
| Total | 109,826 | 100.00 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 162,677 | 67.51 | |||
| Source: Comissão Nacional de Eleições | |||||
References
edit- Notes
- ^ a b c Ferreira, Maria Filomena da Silva Sousa (7 May 2010), João Bosco Mota Amaral e o Regime Açoriano de Autonomia Política (PDF) (in Portuguese), Ponta Delgada (Azores), Portugal: University of the Azores, retrieved 13 September 2012
- ^ a b c ALRAA, A Autonomia dos Açores (PDF) (in Portuguese), Horta (Azores), Portugal: Assembleia Legislativa Regional
- ^ Diário da Républica, ed. (28 July 1976), Mapa Oficial como o resultado das eleições para assembleia regional da região autonoma (PDF) (in Portuguese) (I Série, No.175 ed.), Lisbon, Portugal: Imprensa Nacional, pp. 1764(3)-1764(6), retrieved 13 September 2012[permanent dead link]
- ^ DGAI (1976), Eleições para as Assembleias Regionais das Regiões Autónomas dos Açores e da Madeira: Resultados por Freguesias e Concelhos (PDF) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: Ministério da Administração Interna/Secretariado Técnico dos Assuntos para o Processo Eleitoral