After 22 years in power, Gambia’s Yahya Jammeh concedes defeat in symbolic elections
The Election Network
In what is considered to be a bright light in Africa’s nascent democracy, Yahya Jammeh who has brutally ruled the west African nation is set to concede the presidency to opposition candidate, Adama Barrow. Yahya Jammeh will concede defeat to the leader of the opposition coalition after ruling The Gambia for 22 years. The chairman […]
Gambia’s historic elections: the aftermath
The Election Network
Gambia’s polls closed at 5pm throughout the 1,422 polling stations in 53 constituencies, within the seven administrative regions of Ghana. The elections were held amid a contentious political environment and ban on all forms of local and international communication. Polls opened early in the small West African nation with a total of over 880, 000 […]
Gambia’s polls close despite internet shutdown and ban on international calls
The Election Network
The long awaited polls in the Gambia closed amidst a total shutdown of the internet and international calls into the country. Gambians woke up to the realisation that they could not contact family and friends outside Gambia or share their experiences about the general elections. This is regular practice in Gambia during general elections, but […]
Ghana’s early voting and the case of missing names
The Election Network
Ghana’s early voting started off with great expectations under the new Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei. The commission assured the public of it’s preparedness for the special voting exercise, but in reality the voters register for the special voters was bungled. Hundreds of security officials, electoral commission staff and media personnel showed up […]
4 things you need to know about the controversy surrounding Ghana’s early voting
The Election Network
Early voting in Ghana will hold on December 1st, for key individuals who will play special roles on the December 7th general elections. Over 114,000 registered voters, consisting of the election security task force, police, immigration, prisons officials, national fire service, electoral commission officials and journalists are expected to cast their votes ahead of the […]
Gambia’s opposition parties unite to unseat Yahya Jammeh
The Election Network
On December 1st, Gambians will decide who rules their country for the next five years. Yahya Jammeh, Gambia’s self proclaimed life president and leader of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party, faces stiff opposition from a coalition force of seven political parties in their most consequential elections in the past 51 years. […]
How Mamma Kandeh’s decision could offset Gambia’s opposition’s chances against Yahya Jammeh
The Election Network
Mamma Kandeh, leader of Gambia’s Democratic Congress (GDC), revealed to his supporters on the stump that he would not be joining the opposition coalition due to a lack of transparency and democracy in the selection of the coalition’s presidential candidate, Adama Barrow. Gambians on the continent and the diaspora have expressed concerns about the failure […]
Yoweri Museveni wins general elections amidst controversy
The Election Network
General elections held in Uganda on 18 January 2016 to elect the president and members of parliament. President Yoweri Museveni, in power since 1986 sought re-election for his fifth term extending his power into a fourth decade despite increasing opposition from Ugandan citizens clamouring for change. Kizza Besigye, who had run against Museveni in 2001, […]
Vanuatu’s Snap Elections
The Election Network
52 seats were at stake in Vanuatu’s parliamentary election. In the Parliament, fifty-two members are elected in 8-single seat and 10-multi seat constituencies by single non-transferable vote to serve a four-year term. In any election, each voter casts one vote for one candidate in a multi-candidate race for multiple offices. The candidates with the most […]
The Union Of Comoros’s Unique Electoral System
The Election Network
Presidential elections held in the Union of Comoros on 21 February 2016, with a second round, which was held on 10 April 2016. The electoral system for contesting the presidency is a unique system and is rotated between the country’s three man islands; Anjouan, Grande Comore and Moheli. This electoral system was established in 2001 […]
Taiwan Elects Its First Female President
The Election Network
Taiwan opened the polls at 8am for presidential and legislative elections on January 16, bringing to an end months of speculation about the results and its ramification on East Asia politics. The race that attracted the most attention was the contest for Taiwan’s presidency with the opposition’s Democratic Party candidate, Tsai Ing-wen with a large […]
Slovakia’s Robert Fico wins elections amidst a fractured opposition in parliament
The Election Network
Robert Fico, leader of the strongest party in Slovakia Smer-Social Democracy Party had expected to make a sweeping victory in the parliamentary elections. But with great push back from opposition parties including far-right extremists, left Fico’s party retaining its strength but losing their majority. A significant part of the campaign was entered around the European […]
Samoa’s Ruling Party Wins General Election in Landslide Victory
The Election Network
The polls opened in Samoa on March 4, 2016, for the general elections to elect members of Parliament. The elections saw the opposition struggle to win the necessary seats to qualify as a party in the Parliament. The Tautua Samoa Party (TSP) had a crucial need to win eight seats in Parliament in order to […]
Rajapaksa’s “Shock Defeat” Elections
The Election Network
The Sri Lanka presidential elections were held on January 8, 2015, two years ahead of schedule. The incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the candidate for the United People’s Freedom Alliance Party (UPFA) seeking a third term in office. Minister of Health in Rajapaksa’s administration and former ally, Maithripala Sirisena defected to the United National Party […]
President Rouhani’s Reformist Allies Win Major Seats in Iran’s Elections
The Election Network
Iranians went to the polls on February 26 to elect new members of Parliament and members of the Assembly of Experts. It is the 10th parliament since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979 and the 35th since the Islamic Constitutional Revolution. This was the first time that both bodies have been elected simultaneously. […]
President Issoufou Wins Landslide Elections In Niger
The Election Network
The Nigerien general elections were held on 21 February 2016, with a run-off on 20 March. Incumbent President Mahamadou Issoufou ran for re-election with 15 candidates including opposition candidates Seynou Oumarou of the National Movement for the Development of Society and Hama Amadou of the Nigerien Democratic for an African Federation, who had been campaigning […]
Centre-right Rebelo de Sousa wins Portugal’s Presidential Elections
The Election Network
The Portuguese Presidential elections held on 24 January 2016 amidst high expectations. The elections were conducted to choose the successor to President Anibal Cavaco Silva, who was constitutionally not allowed to run for a third term after serving two consecutive five year terms as president. Portugal has a unique and interesting electoral system. Candidates […]
LABOUR PARTY WINS GENERAL ELECTIONS IN JAMAICA
The Election Network
Jamaica’s Labour Party (JLP) was declared winner of the 2016 general elections after they won 33 of the 63 constituency seats. The People’s National Party (PNP) won 30 of the constituency seats in a tight race. Labour Party’s win came as a shock to the PNP who believed the competition was tight but did not […]
Kiribati Has A New President
The Election Network
The Republic of Kiribati officially elected Taneti Maamau as the new President. Kiribati’s Chief Justice, Sir John Muria declared him as the new President. Kiribati has a two-party system, meaning two dominant political parties and extreme difficulty for other parties to win national elections in the country. A distinguishing feature of its electoral system […]