Recent elections

Regional and Local Elections

October 28th, 2007

Description of Electoral System:

(courtesy of IFES election guide, Colombian´s Constitution and Colombian Electoral Code)

The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term. In the Senate (Senado) 102 members are elected by party list to serve 4-year terms. In the Chamber of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) 166 members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

For Presidential Elections is used the absolute majority system with second round election. For the Senate elections is used the proportional (method of the natural quotient; higher rest) system, closed and blocked list, without a personal vote or legal barrier. The participation in the electoral process is voluntary. The financing of electoral campaigns are public and their expenses are limited by law.

The electoral organization in Colombia is directed by the National Electoral Council (Consejo Nacional Electoral). This organism is in charge of guarding the respect of the law related to political parties and movements and of the dispositions on electoral publicity and surveys of public opinion, the rights of the opposition and the minorities, and the development of the electoral processes in conditions of total guarantees.

Electoral Systems Snapshot

(Courtesy of International IDEA)

*Click on link for definition

WANT MORE ELECTION-RELATED STATS FOR COLOMBIA? Go to "election databases" on the left-hand menu of this page OR comparative data on the right-hand menu and choose your area of interest.

Most recent election

(courtesy of wikipedia)

The 2006 Colombian presidential election was held on 28 May 2006. Álvaro Uribe was re-elected as President of the Republic and will serve another four-year term, starting on 7 August 2006. Uribe obtained 62.20% of the votes, thus surpassing the 50% needed to avoid a runoff against the second place candidate.

Following a constitutional amendment enacted by the government, this was the first occasion in over 100 years that a Colombian president was eligible for immediate re-election.

Recent Elections

(courtesy of Registraduria Nacional del Estado Civil de Colombia- National Registry of Civil State of Colombia)

This year the elections of Governors, Mayors, Department Assemblies, Municipal Councils and members of the bodies of Local Administration, will take place in Colombia on October 28^th. In this local election will be elected governors in 32 departments, deputies of Department Assembly, 1099 mayors of municipalities, municipality’s councils and authorities of  local administration bodies.

The electoral calendar and most important electoral activities of the local election in Colombia:

September

7^th Designation of the Voting Juries

October

4^th Selection of the delegates of the National Electoral Council 

28^th Elections Day: Local Election for Departmental Governors, Mayors, Assemblies; Municipal councils and members of the Local Administration.  

30^th Beginning of the electoral Municipal scrutinies

November

4^th Beginning of the States Scrutinies