Bermuda Party last night.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan and his running mate the Hon. John Stubbs coasted to victory, while opponents Mr. Geoffrey Parker of the National Liberal Party and Mrs. Aurelia Burch of the Progressive Labour Party both lost their deposits.

Dr. Stubbs, who waited at his nearby home with Sir John while the votes were counted, said Paget East was "one of the UBP's safest seats'', but neither he nor the Premier could ever take it for granted.

Sir John spent little time outside the Horticultural Hall at Botanical Gardens, spending much of the day visiting other polling stations to lend support to UBP candidates.

The majority-white constituency was the first to report, as the final count was completed at 8.50 p.m.

Dr. Stubbs, while pleased with his constituency victory when the results were announced, said he was watching other returns from around Bermuda with concern.

Mr. Parker, the chairman of the NLP, said he did not regret his party's choice to challenge the leaders of the two major parties in their home constituencies.

"I'm obviously disappointed, but I was resigned to this fact from day one,'' Mr. Parker said. "As far as getting elected, it's a concern, but our philosophy has always been to hit the problems head-on. We believe that message is still correct.'' Mr. Parker said this election was unlike 1989, when Independent Mr. David Skinner was able to harness a mood of protest and garner 312 votes in the Premier's constituency.

This time, too many voters expected a close election and did not feel they had the luxury of voting for a third party, he said.

Mrs. Burch, a former schoolteacher of Sir John who was making her sixth run in Paget East, said she did not expect to save the $250 deposit for the PLP, but was willing to keep running because she believed in the party. A younger person could not take the rejection, but she could, the retiree said.

With 968 ballots cast and 1,209 eligible voters, the turnout in Paget East was a strong 80 percent.

Nearly all ballots were marked with the names of Sir John and Dr. Stubbs.

There were also 25 plumps for Mr. Parker, 34 plumps for Mrs. Burch, 12 plumps for Sir John, and six plumps for Dr. Stubbs.

RESULTS Sir John Swan (UBP) 855 Dr. John Stubbs (UBP) 811 Geoffrey Parker (NLP) 112 Aurelia Burch (PLP) 75 Void ballots 1.

WITH A SMILE -- Sir John Swan casts his vote at the Horticultural Hall in Paget East.

OCTOBER 1993 ELECTION