[2] Several minor parties participated in the election, but they only contested six of the 60 seats: with voter turnout of about 55%, this gave a nationwide figure of a meagre 3%.

[1][3] The Labour Party won all 60 seats in the House of Representatives, with their leader, Edward Seaga, continuing as Prime Minister.

The Labour Party had convincingly won the 1980 general election, taking 51 of the 60 seats in the House of Representatives.

[3] Seaga claimed that the move was due to People's National Party leader Michael Manley calling for him to resign from his post of Finance Minister (which he held in addition to being Prime Minister), and that the early elections would be a public vote of confidence in his austerity plans.

[5] On 30 December Governor-General Florizel Glasspole appointed eight independent senators; Clarence Reid, Charles Sinclair, Emil George, Errol Miller, Lloyd Barnett, Courtney Lloyd Fletcher, Barbara Makeda Blake and Keith Worrell, who were recommended by Seaga.