IFES Election Guide - Country Profile: Uruguay

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Legislative
October 2014
Presidential
October 2014

Uruguay
Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Region: Americas

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Jose "Pepe" MUJICA Cordano
Head of Government: President Jose "Pepe" MUJICA Cordano
Assembly: Uruguay has a bicameral General Assembly (Asamblea General) consisting of the Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores) with 31 seats and the Chamber of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) with 99 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 5-year term.
In the Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores), 30 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms and 1 members are ex officio *. In the Chamber of Representatives (Cámara de Representantes) 99 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 5-year terms.**

* There is one nationwide district. One party may field multiple lists. Under the double simultaneous vote (DSV), the voter must vote for one of the lists fielded by the same party she has chosen in a Presidential contest. The Vice President is ex officio presiding officer of the Senate.

** There are 19 multi-member constituencies corresponding to the country's departments. The minimum magnitude is two. One party may field multiple lists. Under the double simultaneous vote (DSV), the voter must vote for one of the lists fielded by the same party she has chosen in a Presidential contest.