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

2022-06-19
Colombian Presidency
Votes 22,658,694
Registered 39,002,239
Turnout 58.1

2022-05-29
Colombian Presidency
Votes 21,418,631
Registered 39,002,239
Turnout 54.92

2022-03-13
Colombian Senate
Votes 17,530,841
Registered 38,819,901
Turnout 45.16

2022-03-13
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 17,526,386
Registered 38,819,901
Turnout 45.15

2018-06-17
Colombian Presidency
Votes 19,511,168
Registered 36,783,940
Turnout 53.04

2018-05-27
Colombian Presidency
Votes 19,636,714
Registered 36,783,940
Turnout 53.38

2018-03-11
Colombian Senate
Votes 17,818,185
Registered 36,493,318
Turnout 48.83

2018-03-11
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 17,872,988
Registered 36,493,318
Turnout 48.98

2016-10-02
Referendum
Votes 13,066,047
Registered 34,899,945
Turnout 37.44

2014-06-15
Colombian Presidency
Votes 15,794,940
Registered 32,975,158
Turnout 47.9

2014-05-25
Colombian Presidency
Votes 13,216,402
Registered 32,975,158
Turnout 40.08

2014-03-09
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 14,309,641
Registered 32,835,856
Turnout 43.58

2014-03-09
Colombian Senate
Votes 14,310,367
Registered 32,835,856
Turnout 43.58

2010-06-20
Colombian Presidency
Votes 13,337,658
Registered 29,983,279
Turnout 44.48

2010-05-30
Colombian Presidency
Votes 14,781,020
Registered 29,983,279
Turnout 49.3

2010-03-14
Colombian Senate
Votes 13,203,762
Registered 29,853,299
Turnout 44.23

2010-03-14
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 13,061,735
Registered 29,853,299
Turnout 43.75

2006-05-28
Colombian Presidency
Votes 12,041,737
Registered 26,731,700
Turnout 45.05

2006-03-12
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 10,767,726
Registered 26,595,171
Turnout 40.49

2006-03-12
Colombian Senate
Votes 10,780,668
Registered 26,595,171
Turnout 40.54

2003-10-25
Referendum
Votes 6,673,050
Registered 25,069,773
Turnout 26.62

2002-05-26
Colombian Presidency
Votes 11,244,288
Registered 24,208,150
Turnout 46.45

2002-03-10
Colombian Senate
Votes 10,188,929
Registered 24,000,636
Turnout 42.45

2002-03-10
Colombian House of Representatives
Votes 10,188,929
Registered 24,000,636
Turnout 42.45

1998-06-21
Colombian Presidency
Votes 12,310,107
Registered 20,857,801
Turnout 59.02

1998-05-31
Colombian Presidency
Votes 10,751,465
Registered 20,856,150
Turnout 51.55

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

Voter Turnout

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