In August 2003 Cayo South Area Rep. Agripino Cawich of the PUP died, triggering a by-election in the constituency, only the second held in Belize since independence.

[2] Beginning in March 2007 and continuing through April 22, Belize's 193 villages held council elections on Sundays of every weekend except for Easter.

From the very beginning, back and forth charges of inaccurate statistics and party favoritism have stained the elections, with both the blue and the red claiming victory in the majority of contested seats.

Results of Village Council elections 2007[3] Prime Minister Said Musa twice had chances to dissolve the House of Representatives in session, on 16 November 2007 and 19 December 2007; both times he passed.

The ruling PUP have rolled out a number of programs designed to woo the electorate, including the promise of free textbooks for primary school students,[4] improved infrastructure on the deep southside of Belize City[5] and a planned rollout of a health insurance scheme in early 2008.

The PUP held a press conference on 7 January 2008 and announced pay increases for soldiers, teachers and public officers to take place after the general election.

The United Democratic Party, for its part, concentrated on shoring up support[6] in the districts and fighting fires in the various municipal governments they have controlled since March 2006.

The UDP released its election manifesto, Imagine the Possibilities: 2008-13, to a cheering crowd of supporters at its party headquarters in Belize City on 16 January 2008.

Others: Max Samuels in Belize Rural North, Florencio Marin Senior in Corozal South East, Dave Burgos in Orange Walk East, Ismael Cal in Orange Walk South, Ainslie Leslie in Cayo North and Sylvia Flores in Dangriga are not seeking reelection.

[19] The Society for the Promotion of Education and Research (SPEAR) released the results of an opinion poll conducted in conjunction with SJC's Belizean Studies Centre in October 2005.