Elections in Colombia
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This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Colombia |
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Elections in Colombia are regulated and controlled by the National Electoral Council which also gives information on elections and election results in for the politics of Colombia.
Colombia elects on national level a head of state - the president - and a legislature. The president is elected for a four-year term by the people. The Congress' (Congreso) has two chambers. The House of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) has 162 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. The Senate of the Republic (Senado de la República) has 102 members, elected for a four-year term by proportional representation.
Colombia had a two-party system, in which it could be difficult for third parties to find success. Politicians from the two main parties tend to win elections when not confronted by strong challengers from their own party (in which cases their traditional opponents tend to win). Recent electoral inroads made by a number of independent candidates towards the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, such as the elections of Antanas Mockus and later Luis Eduardo Garzón as mayors of Bogotá, amid a climate of perceived generalized dissatisfaction with the country's political background, have tended to shows signs that past electoral trends may be weakening and the potential for diversity could be increasing.
Electoral fraud, bribery, and other scandals that occur at both municipal[1] and national[2] levels are part of Colombia's corruption problem.
Schedule
Election
Position | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Presidential (May) Congress (March) | Local (October) | None | None | Presidential (May) Congress (March) |
President and vice president |
President and vice president | None | President and vice president | ||
Congress | All seats | None | All seats | ||
Local | None | All positions | None |
Inauguration
Position | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Type | Presidential Congress | None | Local | None | Presidential Congress |
President and vice president |
7 August | None | August 7 | ||
Congress | 20 July | None | July 20 | ||
Local | None | January 1 | None |
Latest elections
2014 Presidential election
Candidates – Parties | First round | Second round | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | |
Juan Manuel Santos – Social Party of National Unity (Partido de «la U») | 3,301,815 | 25.69 | 7,816,986 | 50.95 |
Óscar Iván Zuluaga - Democratic Center (Centro Democrático) | 3,759,971 | 29.25 | 6,905,001 | 45.00 |
Marta Lucía Ramírez – Colombian Conservative Party (Partido Conservador Colombiano) | 1,995,698 | 15.52 | ||
Clara López Obregón – Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Alternativo) | 1,958,414 | 15.23 | ||
Enrique Peñalosa - Colombian Green Party (Partido Verde Colombiano) | 1,065,142 | 8.28 | ||
Total votes for candidates | 12,081,040 | 94.01 | 14,721,526 | 95.96 |
Blank votes | 770,610 | 5.99 | 619,396 | 4.03 |
Total valid votes | 12,851,650 | 97.24 | 15,341,383 | 97.12 |
Null votes | 311,758 | 2.35 | 403,405 | 2.55 |
Unmarked ballots | 52,994 | 0.40 | 50,152 | 0.31 |
Turnout | 13,216,402 | 40.07% | 15,794,940 | 47.89% |
Source: Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil, Registraduría Nacional del Estado Civil |
2014 Parliamentary election
Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Party of the U (Partido de la U) | 2,297,786 | 16.05 | 39 |
Liberal Party (Partido Liberal) | 2,022,093 | 14.13 | 37 |
Conservative Party (Partido Conservador) | 1,884,706 | 13.17 | 27 |
Radical Change (Cambio Radical) | 1,108,502 | 7.74 | 16 |
Democratic Center (Centro Democrático) | 1,355,358 | 9.47 | 12 |
Green Party (Partido Verde) | 479,521 | 3.35 | 6 |
Civic Option (Opción Ciudadana) | 467,728 | 3.26 | 6 |
Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Alternativo) | 414,346 | 2.89 | 3 |
Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation (Movimiento Independiente de Renovación Absoluta) | 411,800 | 2.87 | 3 |
For a Better Huila (Por un Huila Mejor) | 73,573 | 0.51 | 1 |
Others | 375,587 | 2.6 | 0 |
Unseated | 13 | ||
Total party votes | 10,891,000 | 76.10 | 163 |
Blank votes | 824,956 | 5.76 | |
Total valid votes | 11,715,956 | 81.87 | |
Afro-Colombian Parties | |||
Ebony Foundation of Colombia (Fundacion Ebano de Colombia) | 58,965 | 0.41 | 1 |
Inclusion and Opportunities Movement (Movimiento de Inclusión y Oportunidades) | 19,987 | 0.13 | 1 |
Others | 73,346 | 0.57 | 0 |
Total party votes (Afro-Colombian) | 159 523 | 1.11 | 2 |
Blank votes (Afro-Colombian) | 77,538 | 0.54 | |
Total valid votes (Afro-Colombian) | 237,061 | 1.65 | |
Indigenous Parties | |||
Indigenous Authorities of Colombia (Autoridades Indígenas de Colombia) | 28,360 | 0.19 | 1 |
Others | 50,839 | 0.36 | 0 |
Total party votes (Indigenous) | 79,199 | 0.55 | 1 |
Blank votes (Indigenous) | 37,501 | 0.26 | |
Total valid votes (Indigenous) | 116,700 | 0.81 | |
Grand total party votes | 11,129,722 | 77.76 | 166 |
Grand total blank votes | 939,995 | 6.56 | |
Grand total valid votes | 12,069,717 | 84.33 | |
Grand total null votes | 1,750,071 | 12.23 | |
Grand total unmarked ballots | 489,853 | 3.42 | |
Turnout | 14,309,641 | 43.57 | |
Register voters | 32,835,856 | ||
Sources: [3] |
Parties | Votes | % | Seats |
---|---|---|---|
Party of the U (Partido de la U) | 2,230,208 | 15.58 | 21 |
Democratic Center (Centro Democrático) | 2,045,564 | 14.29 | 20 |
Conservative Party (Partido Conservador) | 1,944,284 | 13.58 | 18 |
Liberal Party (Partido Liberal) | 1,748,789 | 12.22 | 17 |
Radical Change (Cambio Radical) | 996,872 | 6.96 | 9 |
Green Party (Partido Verde) | 564,663 | 3.94 | 5 |
Alternative Democratic Pole (Polo Democrático Alternativo) | 541,145 | 3.78 | 5 |
Civic Option (Opción Ciudadana) | 527,124 | 3.68 | 5 |
Independent Movement of Absolute Renovation (Movimiento Independiente de Renovación Absoluta) | 326,943 | 2.28 | 0 |
Total party votes | 10,925,592 | 76.34 | 100 |
Blank votes | 746,659 | 5.21 | |
Total valid votes | 11,672,251 | 81.56 | |
Indigenous Parties | |||
Indigenous and Alternative Social Movement (Movimiento Alternativo Indigena y Social) | 45,964 | 0.32 | 1 |
Indigenous Social Alliance (Alianza Social Independiente) | 34,293 | 0.23 | 1 |
Indigenous Authorities of Colombia (Autoridades Indígenas de Colombia) | 30,132 | 0.21 | 0 |
Others | 60,829 | 0.39 | 0 |
Total party votes (Indigenous) | 171,218 | 1.19 | 2 |
Blank votes (Indigenous) | 138,716 | 0.96 | |
Total valid votes (Indigenous) | 309,934 | 2.16 | |
Grand total party votes | 11,096,810 | 77.53 | 102 |
Grand total blank votes | 885,375 | 6.17 | |
Grand total valid votes | 11,982,185 | 83.72 | |
Grand total null votes | 1,485,567 | 10.38 | |
Grand total unmarked ballots | 842,615 | 5.88 | |
Turnout | 14,310,367 | 43.58 | |
Register voters | 32,835,856 | ||
Sources: [4] |
Past elections
See also
References
- ↑ "Investigan a 17 alcaldes por mal uso de recursos para invierno". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 7 September 2011. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
- ↑ "Colombia President's Aide Linked to Drug Money". New York Times. 27 July 1995.
- ↑ "2014 Parliamentary Election of Colombia". National Civil Registry. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ↑ "2014 Parliamentary Election of Colombia". National Civil Registry. Retrieved 27 April 2016.
External links
- Adam Carr's Election Archive
- Calendario Elecciones 2006 (Registraduría General de la Nación)
- Democracia a distancia: Elecciones 2006 (Portalcol.com)
- Votebien.com