upcoming general election, campaign co-chairman Mr. Terry Lister said yesterday.

Citing the 1989 campaign, when Shadow Education Minister Miss Jennifer Smith pulled an upset victory as the sole PLP candidate in St. George's North, Mr.

Lister said: "It will be strategically sound to run single candidates in some places.

"I can almost assure you we will not run 40 candidates.'' However, the PLP will run "far more'' candidates than it did in the last national vote in 1989, when it fielded 30, he said.

Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan must call an election no later than February 8 next year, meaning the latest Bermudians will go to the polls is on May 8, 1994. There is still a chance Sir John could call an election this spring, but most bets are on a vote in or around October.

After it made gains in the last election, the PLP, some observers felt, would run a full slate of candidates this time.

Yesterday's news from the Opposition drew criticism from the United Bermuda Party. "The PLP is trying to represent itself as a national party truly representative of all Bermudians,'' UBP chairman Dr. James King said.

"Elections should be fought and won on vision, the issues, and a proof of commitment to the people of Bermuda. Commitment means taking the responsibility to offer a full range of choice and representation to the people.'' PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade MP said whether or not his party decided to run 40 candidates, "we are definitely a full national party'' because each constituency would be contested.

Only in 1968 did the PLP run 40 candidates "to demonstrate our intention,'' Mr. Wade said.

"We have since then operated in terms of strategies,'' he said. Miss Smith's election in 1989 was "the direct result'' of fielding one PLP candidate in her constituency, rather than two, he said.

Although each voter can mark two choices on the ballot, many increase the chances of a single candidate by marking only one choice. The voting method is known as "plumping.'' In St. George's North in the last election more than 75 percent of Miss Smith's votes were on ballots where hers was the only name marked.

"I'm never going to feel that we have to have 40 candidates,'' Mr. Lister said. "In some areas, running a single candidate allows them to run on their personal strengths.

"I don't believe we have to do anything beyond winning 24 or 25 seats -- the rest of it is almost an irrelevancy.'' So far, the PLP has named 30 candidates, but more are expected.

The governing UBP has named its candidates in all but four constituencies, and "we will be running a full slate of 40 candidates,'' executive officer Mr.

Joe Gibbons confirmed.

"There are strategic reasons why you don't want to hang a candidate out (too early) in what is deemed to be a PLP stronghold,'' Mr. Gibbons said.