At stake in this election:

• 13 seats in the Senate
• 16 seats in the House of Delegates

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr
• Head of Government: President Tommy Esang REMENGESAU, Jr
• Assembly: Palau has a bicameral Parliament (Olbiil Era Kelulau) consisting of the Senate with 13 seats and the House of Delegates with 16 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Senate 13 members are elected by plurality vote in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms*. In the House of Delegates 16 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

* Every voter may choose as many candidates as there are seats. All candidates compete in one, at-large district and the candidates who receive the most votes are elected. This is also known as a Block voting system. This was the first election where this system was used. It was also the first election where the seat total was raised from 9 to 13.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 21,093 (July 2008 est.)
• Registered Voters: 14,289 (2008)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: N/A

·         Is Palau a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (20 September 2011)

·         Has Palau ratified CEDAW: No

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: N/A

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 0

·         Human Development Index Position: 60 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A 

Disability Data:

·         Is Palau a signatory to CRPD: Yes (20 September 2011)

·         Has Palau ratified CRPD: Yes (11 June 2013)

·         Population with a disability: 2,970 (est.)