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Election Profile:

Flag of Sri Lanka Source for election date

At stake in this election:

  • The office of President of Sri Lanka

Description of government structure:

  • Chief of State: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA *
  • Head of Government: President Mahinda Percy RAJAPAKSA
  • Assembly: Sri Lanka has a unicameral Parliament with 225 seats.

* Under the contingent vote system, voters may rank up to three candidates. If no candidate wins a majority in the first round of counting, ballots whose first ranking are eliminated candidates are redistributed to the next-ranked candidates on those ballots. The winner is the candidate with the most votes after this second round of counting.

Description of electoral system:

  • The President is elected through a contingent vote system to serve a 6-year term.
  • In the Parliament 225 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 6-year terms.***

*** Parties must clear a threshold of one-eighth of votes to win seats in the respective constituency. Each voter may cast three preference votes.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

  • Mohomed Casim Mohomed ISMAIL
    Party: Democratic United National Front
  • Muthubandara THEMINMULLA
    Party: Okkoma Wasiyo Okkoma Rajawaru Sanvidanaya
  • Achala Ashoka SURAWEERA
    Party: Jathika Sangwardhena Peramuna
  • Kiriella Gurunnanselage Ravindrlal PERERA
    Alliance: Our National Front
  • Sarath MANAMENDRA
    Party: Nawa Sihala Urumaya
  • Wickramabahu KARUNARATHNE
    Party: Left Front
  • Wekada Vitharanage Mahiman RANJITH
    Independent(s): N/A
  • Sanath PINNADUWA
    Party: National Alliance
  • Sarath FONSEKA
    Party: New Democratic Front
  • Heethaka Oswald Arunya de SOYSA
    Party: Ruhu Janatha
  • Wije DIAS
    Party: Socialist Equality Party
  • Battaramulla Seelarathana THERO
    Party: Janasetha Peramuna
  • Panagoda Don Prince Solomon ANURA
    Party: Sri Lanka Labour Party
  • Dina Aduruge Senarathne de SILVA
    Party: Patriotic National Front
  • Idurus Mohomed ILYAS
    Independent(s): N/A
  • Sirithunga JAYASURIYA
    Party: United Socialist Party
  • Wijekoon Mudiyanselage Ukkubanda WIJEKOON
    Independent(s): N/A
  • Meera Mohideen Mohomed MUSTHAFA
    Independent(s): N/A
  • Channa Janaka Sugathsiri GAMAGE
    Party: United Democratic Front
  • Upali Sarath KONGAHAGE
    Party: United National Alternative Front
  • Kanagalingam SIWAJILINGAM
    Independent(s): N/A
  • Mahinda RAJAPAKSHA
    Party: United People's Freedom Alliance

Population and number of registered voters:

  • Population: 21,324,791 (July 2009 )
  • Registered Voters: 14,088,500 (January 2010 )

Last Updated on 10/26/2009

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