IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Colombia

Republic of Colombia

50,335,650	26
Population (as of July 1, 2020)	Elections in our database
39,002,239	46.02%
Registered Voters (as of None)	Average Turnout

Name	Official Name	Type
Colombian Presidency	None	Head of State & Government
Colombian Senate	Senado	Upper House
Colombian House of Representatives	Camara de Representantes	Lower House

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Gustavo PETRO
Head of Government: President Gustavo PETRO
Assembly: Colombia has a bicameral Congress (Congreso) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 102 seats and the House of Representatives (Camara de Representantes) with 166 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President of Colombia is elected to serve one four-year term* using a two-round majoritarian system, in which a runoff election is held between the top two candidates should no one receive a majority during the first iteration of voting.
The Chamber of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) consists of 188 seats, of which 161 “ordinary” seats will be contested by political parties from within 33 multi-member districts.** These seats will be allocated using list proportional representation, with remaining seats being allocated on the basis of greatest remainders. All members serve 4-year terms.
The Senate (Senado) will consist of 108 seats, of which 102 will be directly elected.*** Elections for 100 of these seats will occur in a single national constituency, while the remaining two seats will be decided in a special national constituency limited to indigenous communities. Both constituencies will use list proportional representation, with remaining seats being allocated on the basis of greatest remainders. All members serve 4-year terms.[4]

*Following a 2015 electoral reform, successful presidential candidates are limited to serving one term.

**An additional five seats are reserved for members of the People’s Alternative Revolutionary Force (FARC) exclusively for the 2018 and 2022 elections as a result of the 2016 Colombian peace process. One seat is reserved for the runner-up vice-presidential candidate. Another two seats are reserved for the Afro-descendant communities, one seat is reserved for the Special Indigenous Circumscription, one seat is reserved Colombians residing abroad, and finally – pending regulation – one seat may be reserved for a Raizal candidate from San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina. Finally, sixteen seats of the Special Transitory Circumscriptions of Peace will also be elected for the first time. [5],[6]

***An additional five seats are reserved for FARC representatives (see above), with an additional non-FARC seat reserved for the runner-up presidential candidate.

Elections

Election For	Date	Votes	Registered Voters	Turn Out
Colombian Presidency	1998-05-31	10,751,465	20,856,150	51.55
Colombian Presidency	1998-06-21	12,310,107	20,857,801	59.02
Colombian House of Representatives	2002-03-10	10,188,929	24,000,636	42.45
Colombian Senate	2002-03-10	10,188,929	24,000,636	42.45
Colombian Presidency	2002-05-26	11,244,288	24,208,150	46.45
Referendum	2003-10-25	6,673,050	25,069,773	26.62
Colombian House of Representatives	2006-03-12	10,767,726	26,595,171	40.49
Colombian Senate	2006-03-12	10,780,668	26,595,171	40.54
Colombian Presidency	2006-05-28	12,041,737	26,731,700	45.05
Colombian House of Representatives	2010-03-14	13,061,735	29,853,299	43.75
Colombian Senate	2010-03-14	13,203,762	29,853,299	44.23
Colombian Presidency	2010-05-30	14,781,020	29,983,279	49.3
Colombian Presidency	2010-06-20	13,337,658	29,983,279	44.48
Colombian Senate	2014-03-09	14,310,367	32,835,856	43.58
Colombian House of Representatives	2014-03-09	14,309,641	32,835,856	43.58
Colombian Presidency	2014-05-25	13,216,402	32,975,158	40.08
Colombian Presidency	2014-06-15	15,794,940	32,975,158	47.9
Referendum	2016-10-02	13,066,047	34,899,945	37.44
Colombian House of Representatives	2018-03-11	17,872,988	36,493,318	48.98
Colombian Senate	2018-03-11	17,818,185	36,493,318	48.83
Colombian Presidency	2018-05-27	19,636,714	36,783,940	53.38
Colombian Presidency	2018-06-17	19,511,168	36,783,940	53.04
Colombian Senate	2022-03-13	17,530,841	38,819,901	45.16
Colombian House of Representatives	2022-03-13	17,526,386	38,819,901	45.15
Colombian Presidency	2022-05-29	21,418,631	39,002,239	54.92
Colombian Presidency	2022-06-19	22,658,694	39,002,239	58.1

Voter Turnout

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