|
total countries/territories: 114
|
|---|
| Country/Territory |
Answers |
Comments |
Verified |
|
Algeria
|
c. Not applicable
|
Source:
Electoral Law
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/03/26
|
|
American Samoa
|
c. Not applicable
|
Source:
American Samoa Code Title 6 Elections Chapter 8, 6.0805.
|
2005/02/16
|
|
Argentina
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2021/12/26
|
|
Armenia
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2017/04/05
|
|
Austria
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2003/06/11
|
|
Azerbaijan
|
a. No minimum
|
169.3. A candidate who records the highest number of votes shall be considered to be elected from the single-mandate constituency.
Source:
Election Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan as amended in 2017, Art. 169: https://www.legislationline.org/download/id/7885/file/Azerbaijan_Election_am2017_en.pdf
|
2022/01/24
|
|
Bahamas
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2002/10/02
|
|
Bahrain
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Decree number 14 for 2002, part 3, article 27, organizing referendums and elections, exercising political rights.
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/03/30
|
|
Bangladesh
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
S. M. Asaduzzaman; Public Relations Officer; Bangladesh Election Commission. Email: [email protected]
|
2006/05/23
|
|
Barbados
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Constitution, Ch.5, Section 41-42.
|
2003/06/10
|
|
Belarus
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Code on Elections, article 82.
|
2002/08/28
|
|
Belgium
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Electoral Code, Art. 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171
|
2012/05/04
|
|
Belize
|
a. No minimum
|
Plurality system.
Source:
EL: Representation of the People Act (ROPA) 17 (1) and (3).
|
2004/10/27
|
|
Benin
|
a. No minimum
|
S'il obtient le nombre de voix égal au quotien électoral de sa circonscription.
Source:
Voir ES14
|
2005/01/22
|
|
Brazil
|
c. Not applicable
|
Article 84:
Elections for the Chamber of Deputies, legislative assemblies, and municipal chambers shall adhere to the principle of proportional representation as established by this law.
Source:
Electoral Code - Law No. 4,737, of July 15, 1965, Article 84, 106-113:
https://www.tse.jus.br/legislacao/codigo-eleitoral/codigo-eleitoral-1/codigo-eleitoral-lei-nb0-4.737-de-15-de-julho-de-1965
|
2024/10/23
|
|
Bulgaria
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
An independent candidate who carries at least as many votes as the constituency quota (4%) shall participate in the allocation of seats.
Source:
Elections of Members of Parliament Act, articles 6 (paragraph 3) and 104 (paragraph 2).
|
2002/08/22
|
|
Cameroon
|
c. Not applicable
|
Independent candidatures do not seem to be allowed because according to the provisions of article 70 of the law n ° 91-20 of December 16th, 91 the declaration of candidacy must mention the title of the list and the political party to which it is attached.
|
2018/11/07
|
|
Canada
|
c. Not applicable
|
Election is through a single-seat constituency, first-past-the-post system. The candidate who wins the greatest numbers of votes in a constituency wins the seat in the House of Commons for that constituency.
Source:
Elections Canada
|
2006/12/11
|
|
Cape Verde
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2001/10/04
|
|
Chile
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2002/06/17
|
|
Colombia
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
CNE
|
2003/07/30
|
|
Congo (Kinshasa), Democratic Republic of the
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2018/11/09
|
|
Croatia
|
c. Not applicable
|
Only electoral lists take part in elections.
|
2002/08/07
|
|
Cyprus
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
b) The number of all valid votes divided by the number of seats in that constituency.
Source:
Electoral Law 72 of 1979, Art. 32(3)
|
2012/04/26
|
|
Czech Republic
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
A candidate to the House of Deputies can stand as a candidate just like a part of a list of candidates for a political party, movement or coalition. The candidate lists of political parties and movements which do not obtain at least 5% of all valid votes do not pass scrutiny. In the case of coalitions, requirements are that 2 parties or movements combined must have 10%, 3 combined must have 15%, and 4 or more combined must have 20% of the total number of valid votes.
Source:
Article 49 of the Electoral Act on Elections to the Parliament (Law Digest no. 247/1995)
|
2002/06/11
|
|
Denmark
|
a. No minimum
|
However, for the allocation of compensatory seats the Danish electoral system has 3 different electroal thresholds:
1. Winning a seat directly in any of the 17 multi-member constituencies.
2. Obtaining in two of three electoral regions a number of votes corresponding to the regional votes/seats ratio.
3. Per cent of the valid, national vote.
Source:
Parliamentary Elections and Election Administration in Denmark (Dr Jorgen Elklit and Anne Birte Pade, Election consultant Ministry of Interior), sec 1, art. 1.2.2
Elections Act, part 10, art 76, 77
|
2015/06/08
|
|
Djibouti
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2023/07/11
|
|
Dominica
|
a. No minimum
|
Members are elected in single seat constituencies.
|
2002/12/09
|
|
Egypt
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
50 percent.
In the individual seat system, a candidate must secure an absolute majority of valid votes to win. If no candidate achieves this, a runoff is held between the top two contenders.
Source:
https://www.sis.gov.eg/Story/211214?lang=en-us
|
2025/09/23
|
|
Eritrea
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2011/06/21
|
|
Fiji
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
Absolute majority (50% + 1)
Source:
Electoral Act 1998 Section 113(2)
|
2003/06/30
|
|
Finland
|
a. No minimum
|
In all districts, the allocation of seats to candidates is proportional to the votes following a d'Hondt system of party list Proportional Representation.
Source:
Election Act 714/1998 as amended, Sections 88 - 91
|
2012/05/21
|
|
France
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
b) An absolute majority and a number of votes equal to 1/4 of registered voters is required in order for a party to win the first round. A party can participate in the second round only if it has obtained a number of votes equal to at least 12.5% of registered voters.
Source:
Electoral Code, Art. L126
|
2012/05/02
|
|
French Polynesia
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
5%.
|
2004/01/15
|
|
Georgia
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
A candidate, who receives more votes than others, but not less than 50% (recently changed from 30%) of voters participating in the elections in the majoritarian election district, shall be considered to be elected in the majoritarian election district. The number of votes derived from void ballot papers shall be excluded from the number of votes of voters participating in the elections. New legislation passed
Source:
The Election Code of Georgia, art. 125:
https://matsne.gov.ge/en/document/view/1557168?publication=8
|
2024/07/24
|
|
Germany
|
a. No minimum
|
The independent candidate must achieve the majority in the constituency.
Source:
Federal Elections Act, Section 5
|
2021/11/15
|
|
Ghana
|
c. Not applicable
|
see ES12, same as other candidates.
Source:
No specific legislation provides alternative information regarding independent candidates.
|
2005/07/01
|
|
Guyana
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Dr. Steve Surujbally, President of the Elections Commissions,
elections(a)sdnp.gy
|
2004/09/03
|
|
Holy See (Vatican City State)
|
c. Not applicable
|
The members of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State are appointed by the Supreme Pontiff for a five-year period.
Source:
Fundamental Law promulgated by Pope JOHN PAUL II 26 November 2000, effective 22 February 2001, Art. 3: http://www.vatican.va/vatican_city_state/legislation/documents/scv_doc_20001126_legge-fondamentale-scv_it.html (2012);
Official Website of the Vatican City State: http://www.vaticanstate.va/EN/State_and_Government/StateDepartments/Legislative_and_executive_bodies.htm (2012)
|
2012/05/14
|
|
Hungary
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Act XXXIV/1989
|
2002/05/23
|
|
Iceland
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Björn Fridfinnsson, Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, bjorn.fridfinnsson(a)dkm.stjr.is
|
2002/07/11
|
|
India
|
a. No minimum
|
The winning candidate is the candidate with the most votes.
Source:
Election Commission of India online (www.eic.gov.in)
|
2024/06/12
|
|
Iran, Islamic Republic of
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
25%
Candidates able to secure at least one fourth of the votes cast in the rst round are elected to the Majlis
Source:
https://www.sssup.it/UploadDocs/14620_2_R_Duality_by_Design__The_Iranian_Electoral_System_Yasmin_Alem.pdf
|
2016/01/22
|
|
Ireland
|
c. Not applicable
|
Same quota for all candidates.
Source:
Electoral Acts 1992-2011
|
2012/05/10
|
|
Italy
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
Single Parties must obtain more than 4% of the valid votes.
Source:
Legislative Act: Law of 21 December 2005, n. 270, Art. 1(12)b
|
2012/04/16
|
|
Jamaica
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2003/09/23
|
|
Japan
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
More than one sixth of the valid votes.
Source:
Electoral Code, article 95 (paragraph 1).
|
2003/07/01
|
|
Jordan
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2016/08/01
|
|
Kazakhstan
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2021/02/16
|
|
Kenya
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2012/03/14
|
|
Kiribati
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
Parliamentary elections are conducted in a two-round process. The first round requires an absolute majority, while the second merely requires a plurality of votes.
Source:
Article 25 and 26, Elections Ordinance and Regulations
|
2020/05/01
|
|
Korea, Republic of
|
a. No minimum
|
FPTP in constituencies.
Source:
AEP, article 188.
|
2002/12/20
|
|
Lao People's Democratic Republic
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2021/02/16
|
|
Lesotho
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2015/03/03
|
|
Liechtenstein
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Constitution, Art. 46 (1): http://www.llv.li/verfassung-e-01-02-09.doc.pdf (2012)
|
2012/05/23
|
|
Lithuania
|
c. Not applicable
|
"A candidate shall be considered elected in a single-member constituency, if the not less than 40 percent of the voters from the electoral roll of that constituency have participated in the elections, and the said candidate has received more than half of votes cast by the voters who have participated in the elections. If less than 40 percent of the voters from the electoral roll of that constituency have participated in the elections, the candidate who have received the majority, but not less than one-fifth of the votes of all the voters from the electoral roll of that constituency, shall be considered to have been elected."
Source:
Electoral Law: Republic of Lithuania Law on Elections to the Seimas, last amended on 14 December 2010 — No XI-1226, Art.88(2)
|
2016/02/02
|
|
Luxembourg
|
a. No minimum
|
a) Candidates are elected according to the votes received until all seats are occupied.
Source:
Electoral law of 18 February 2003, Art. 222
|
2015/06/04
|
|
Macedonia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of
|
c. Not applicable
|
In the Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia 120 Members of Parliament are elected according to the proportional model, whereby the territory of the Republic of Macedonia is divided into 6 election districts determined by law, each of which shall elect 20 Members of Parliament.
Source:
Law on Election of Members of Parliament of the Republic of Macedonia (LEMP), Art. 2(1): https://www.legislationline.org/download/id/1112/file/83bf975af213a79ac697299021d5.pdf
|
2020/04/15
|
|
Malawi
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2019/05/29
|
|
Maldives
|
a. No minimum
|
The two candidates with the highest shares of votes from each atoll are sent to the Majlis.
Source:
Law on General Elections (No:5/81H), article 22(a).
|
2004/10/07
|
|
Marshall Islands
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Constitution of the Marshall Islands, Article 4 section 2 clause 2
|
2005/02/23
|
|
Micronesia, Federated States of
|
a. No minimum
|
simple majority
Source:
1. Burnell Edwards, FSM National Elections Director, interview at PIANZEA workshop April 2002;
2. https://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/3627/. (2021)
|
2021/03/24
|
|
Moldova, Republic of
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
5%
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_threshold
|
2021/03/30
|
|
Monaco
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
b) For the 1/3 of the seats, allocated under proportional representation system, the party must have obtained 5% of the valid votes.
Source:
Law 839 regulating communal and national elections, as amended in 2002, Art. 20-1
|
2012/04/27
|
|
Montenegro
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
Article 94: Candidate lists which received at least 3% of the total number of valid votes in the electoral district shall take part in the allocation of seats.
Source:
Law on the Election of Councillors and Representatives as amended in 2016, Art. 94.
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-REF(2020)031-e
|
2023/09/25
|
|
Morocco
|
a. No minimum
|
Members of the House of Representatives are elected by proportional representation applying the rule of the highest average without vote-splitting or preferential votes
Source:
http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2221.htm
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/04/05
|
|
Nepal
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Constitution 1990.
|
2004/10/06
|
|
Netherlands
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
"1. If the number of seats to be allocated is nineteen or more, the remaining seats, known as
residual seats, shall be awarded sequentially to the lists which, after the award of the seat,
have the highest average number of votes per seat awarded. If averages are the same, the
matter shall be decided by lot.
2. If the election is to the House of Representatives, lists with a total vote lower than the
electoral quota shall not be eligible for seats awarded in this way.
1. If the number of seats to be allocated is fewer than nineteen, the residual seats shall be
awarded sequentially to the lists whose total votes have the largest remainder when divided
by the electoral quota. Lists which have no remainder shall be deemed for this purpose to
be the lists with the smallest remainder. If remainders are the same, the matter shall be
decided by lot.
2. Lists with a total vote lower than 75% of the electoral quota shall not be eligible for seats
awarded in this way."
Source:
Elections Act, sec. P7 & P8: file:///C:/Users/jmansour/Downloads/pdf-voor-engelse-site-elections-act-2010%20(1).pdf
|
2016/03/04
|
|
New Caledonia
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
5%.
Source:
Electoral Code, Article L.435
|
2003/11/28
|
|
New Zealand
|
a. No minimum
|
The candidate who wins the most votes in an electorate becomes the MP for that electorate, they do not need more than half the votes.
Source:
https://elections.nz/democracy-in-nz/what-is-new-zealands-system-of-government/how-are-mps-elected/
|
2024/07/02
|
|
Niger
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
articles 42 et suivants du code électoral
|
2005/01/21
|
|
Nigeria
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2015/02/14
|
|
Niue
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2005/02/22
|
|
Norway
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2001/09/28
|
|
Palestine
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
EL.89
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/04/05
|
|
Papua New Guinea
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
The Limited Preferential System requires that a candidate reach an absolute majority of support
Source:
Organic Law on National and Local-level Government Elections (1997) Section 168.
|
2005/03/02
|
|
Paraguay
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Law N. 834, Articles 247 and 258.
|
2003/11/26
|
|
Portugal
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2024/07/02
|
|
Romania
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
b.) 5%
Source:
Law on Election of the Parliament, articles 65 (paragraph 2) and 66 (paragraph 1), amended by Emergency Decree 129/2000, articles 1 and 2.
|
2004/11/22
|
|
Russian Federation
|
a. No minimum
|
3. 225 deputies of the State Duma shall be elected in the federal electoral district in proportion to the number of votes cast for the federal lists of candidates to the deputies (hereinafter – federal lists of candidates).
Source:
Electoral Law: Federal Law On Elections of Deputies to the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
as amended on April 5, 2016 No 92-FZ (Article 88).
|
2016/06/03
|
|
Saint Lucia
|
c. Not applicable
|
Seats assigned by the FPTP system.
|
2002/12/10
|
|
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2021/12/26
|
|
Samoa
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2021/04/09
|
|
Sao Tome and Principe
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2021/06/17
|
|
Serbia
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2022/07/05
|
|
Seychelles
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Constitution of the Republic of Seychelles (2011)
http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/africa/SC/seychelles-constitution-2011/view
|
2025/02/25
|
|
Sierra Leone
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
The basis of allocating seats to political parties under the district block representation system will be the total number of valid votes cast in each district, referred to as the total district votes. The total district will be obtained by adding up the valid votes from all the polling stations in the district.
Source:
The Electoral Laws Act 2002 Section 57 (2) Formula for Allocating Seats Under the District Block Representation System
|
2005/06/28
|
|
Slovakia
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION ACT Article 41 Conditions for allocating mandates
(1) The Central Election Commission shall find how many valid votes were in total cast for each political party. It shall find the number of valid votes for coalitions of political parties in case paragraph 3 does not apply for the coalition.
(2) The Central Election Commission shall further determine which political party received less than 5 % of the total number of valid votes.
(3) In further determination of election results and the allocation of mandates, the political party described in paragraph 2 and votes cast to it are not taken into consideration. Should this political party be a member of a coalition, other political parties are considered as if they submitted the List of Candidates independently.
(4) Should the Central Election Commission find that the requirement pursuant to paragraph 2 was not met by any political party, it shall lower the threshold of five percent to the threshold of four percent.
|
2002/05/28
|
|
Slovenia
|
a. No minimum
|
The number of seats given to an individual list shall be determined by a quotient calculated by dividing the total number of votes given to all the lists of candidates in a constituency by the number of deputies elected in the constituency. The number of votes given to a list shall be divided by this quotient. The list shall be given the number of seats equal to the number of times the quotient divides into the number of votes for the list.
Source:
Electoral Code, articles 89 and 90.
|
2004/11/25
|
|
Solomon Islands
|
a. No minimum
|
Simple majority
Source:
Electoral Provisions S.48
|
2004/04/29
|
|
Somalia
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
http://www.somalilandforum.com/somaliland/law/the_election_bill.htm#Commission
|
2005/08/25
|
|
Spain
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
b.) 3%
This percentage applies to all candidates regardless of them being independent or not.
Source:
Electoral Law 5/1985 of 19 June, Art. 163(1)
|
2012/04/17
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
a. No minimum
|
There is no provision in the constitution specifying minimum threshold of votes required by a candidate to win a seat in chamber 1.
Source:
Constitution 1978: http://aceproject.org/ero-en/regions/asia/LK/sri-lanka-constitution-as-amended-up-to-9/at_download/file
|
2016/01/28
|
|
Sudan
|
a. No minimum
|
The candidate wins by getting a simple majority of the votes.
Source:
http://www.pogar.org/
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/04/06
|
|
Sweden
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
The total of personal votes is the number of personal votes cast for a specific candidate in a constituency under one political party name. The requirement (threshold) for election on the basis of total personal votes is that the number of personal votes cast for the candidate must correspond to at least 8% of the total votes cast for the party in the constituency. If it is not possible to allocate the seats on the basis of personal votes, the "whole number method" is used.
Source:
Electoral Law of 2005, Ch. 14, Section 9, 10: http://www.val.se/pdf/2005_elections_act.pdf (2012)
|
2014/08/04
|
|
Switzerland
|
a. No minimum
|
The candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.
Source:
Federal Law of 17 December 1976 (as amended) regulating political rights, Art. 43: http://www.admin.ch/ch/f/rs/161_1/index.html (2012)
|
2012/05/11
|
|
Taiwan
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2020/03/26
|
|
Tanzania, United Republic of
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2025/12/01
|
|
Timor-Leste
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2001/09/14
|
|
Tonga
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
Pita Vuki, Chief Returning Officer
|
2003/07/18
|
|
Trinidad and Tobago
|
a. No minimum
|
The election of members of the House of Representatives shall be by secret ballot and in accordance with the first-past-the-post system.
Source:
Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, Article 73 [1]
|
2015/05/21
|
|
Tunisia
|
a. No minimum
|
Seats are elected through the party-list proportional system, using the largest remainder method. This means that all of the valid votes are divided by the number of seats in a specified constituency to produce a threshold for winning a seat. Therefore, the threshold depends on the number of seats in the constituency. Seats are allocated to lists that reach this threshold, and any seats left are distributed in a second stage to those lists with the highest remainders. If the remainders of two or more lists are equal, the youngest candidate prevails.
Source:
Election for Parliament, Tunisian Republic, http://www.electionguide.org/elections/id/2746/
|
2019/08/05
|
|
Turkey
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
The election of an independent candidate who has stood for elections in the list of candidates of a political party shall also depend on that political party’s surpassing this 10% barrier.
Source:
Parliamentary Elections Law, art. 33: http://www.legislationline.org/download/action/download/id/1310/file/bbf6e67f60e5492350474eaa9e9a.pdf
|
2016/01/21
|
|
Uganda
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2025/12/02
|
|
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2016/04/11
|
|
United States of America
|
c. Not applicable
|
Source:
The Federal Election Commission online (www.fec.gov)
|
2016/02/12
|
|
Uruguay
|
c. Not applicable
|
There aren't independent candidates
Source:
Mr. Carlos Urruty, President, Corte Electoral
|
2002/06/18
|
|
Uzbekistan
|
a. No minimum
|
|
2009/08/18
|
|
Vanuatu
|
b. Specify the percentage:
|
1/(n+1) fraction of the vote, where n=the number of seats being contested
Source:
Van Trease, H. University of Hawaii at Hilo (10 July 2004) Operation of the single non transferable vote in Vanuatu, paper delivered at the Political Culture, Representation and Electoral Systems in the Pacific conference Vanuatu. Available online at http://www.usp.ac.fj/fileadmin/files/Institutes/piasdg/Electoral_Systems_2004/es2004_vanTrease.pdf
|
2016/01/26
|
|
Venezuela
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
LOSPP, art. 17
|
2003/09/26
|
|
Viet Nam
|
c. Not applicable
|
Those obtaining more than one-half of the votes cast in the unit are declared elected
Source:
http://www.appf.org.pe/members/023about.htm
|
2021/04/07
|
|
Yemen
|
a. No minimum
|
Source:
General Elections and Referendum Law 2001, chapter 5, section 1, article 57 (b).
Updated on March 10, 2005
|
2005/04/08
|
|
Zimbabwe
|
c. Not applicable
|
|
2018/10/30
|
