Statistical Breakdown of Presidential Votes by District

Rajeewa Jayaweera in Email Circular, 21 November 2019

Pix from https://www.dhakatribune.com/world/south-asia/2019/11/16/gunmen-fire-on-buses-carrying-muslim-sri-lankan-voters

Year   2019
By Province
Row Labels Sum of Gotabaya Sum of Sajith
Central 835,146 829,559
Eastern 227,653 665,163
North-Central 489,563 314,821
Northern 49,366 487,461
North-Western 883,038 616,317
Sabaragamuwa 768,528 492,535
Southern 1,119,424 475,333
Uva 485,025 344,245
Western 2,066,512 1,338,805
Grand Total 6,924,255 5,564,239

 

Year   2019
By Province and District
Row Labels Sum of Gotabaya Sum of Sajith
Central 835,146 829,559
Kandy 471,502 417,355
Matale 187,821 134,291
Nuwara Eliya 175,823 277,913
Eastern 227,653 665,163
Batticaloa 38,460 238,649
Digamadulla 135,058 259,673
Trincomalee 54,135 166,841
North-Central 489,563 314,821
Anuradhapura 342,223 202,348
Polonnaruwa 147,340 112,473
Northern 49,366 487,461
Jaffna 23,261 312,722
Vanni 26,105 174,739
North-Western 883,038 616,317
Kurunagala 652,278 416,961
Puttalama 230,760 199,356
Sabaragamuwa 768,528 492,535
Kegalle 320,484 228,032
Ratnapura 448,044 264,503
Southern 1,119,424 475,333
Galle 466,139 217,401
Hambantota 278,804 108,906
Matara 374,481 149,026
Uva 485,025 344,245
Badulla 276,211 251,706
Moneragala 208,814 92,539
Western 2,066,512 1,338,805
Colombo 727,722 559,921
Gampaha 855,870 494,671
Kalutara 482,920 284,213
Grand Total 6,924,255 5,564,239

Resized Image 2 Rajeewa Jayaweera, analyst and author

A NOTE from GUS MATHEWS in London to RAJEEWA, 21 November 2019 … with emphasis added by The Editor, Thuppahi

Rajeewa,  Thank you for this sterling work. 

 
The results in tabular form are very interesting reading and depending on the political leanings of individuals it can be interpreted in various ways. However facts are stubborn and I conclude that the Muslim and Tamil votes from the respective ethnic areas voted overwhelming for Sajith Premadasa. In the predominately Sinhala areas GR garnered about close to fifty percent of the vote.
 
In essence it was not ‘walk over’ in favour of GR. If the parliamentary elections later in February/March 2020 reflect the current trend, based on the vagaries of the current proportional system the SLPP will have a majority; but whether a two third majority is there for the taking is a moot point. Psephologists may not agree with my assessment as the permutations of electoral intent and interpretation is a speciality beyond my interpretive skills.
 
My conclusions are that the electorate is volatile and the parliamentary election results will have a bearing on the performance of GR in the short term and also on the message of how the future economic performance will entail. The immediate tax cutting agenda and simplification of the tax system is commendable, but the salutary lesson is whether that in itself is adequate to produce appreciable results in the long term. Also the perception of the masses whether the economic engine for growth is on ‘terra firma’ to yield a positive economic difference to the common man is seminal. 
 
The SLPP cannot ‘rest on its laurels’ by assuming that the victory at the presidential election will yield favourable results in the parliamentary general election. There is still a lot of work to be done to extricate Sri Lanka out of the economic morass that was the signature of the coterie of RW, Mangala Samaraweera and Ravi Karunanayake. The economic journey to prosperity is long and slow, however the down trodden masses who suffered the worst economic daggers to the heart of their living standards during the ‘yahapalanaya’ years will require immediate relief in the short term. Balancing the short term objective needs of the masses and the long term economic growth of the country at large is a task of immense economic and political propositions. 
 
To quote James Carville an election strategist for Bill Clinton in 1992 ‘The economy stupid’. All other aspects in Sri Lanka pale into insignificance in comparison to the economy.

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