At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Iceland

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON
• Head of Government: Prime Minister David ODDSSON **
• Assembly: Iceland has a unicameral Parliament (Althing) with 63 seats.

** Due to a coalition between the Independence Party (SSF) and the Progressive Party (FSF), Prime Minister David ODDSSON of the SSF is scheduled to step down from power on September 14, 2004. In his place Foreign Affairs Minister Halldór ASGRIMSSON will succeed ODDSSON.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by plurality vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Parliament (Althing) 63 members are elected by open list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON
  • Party: N/A
• Baldur AGUSTSSON
  • Party: N/A
• Astthor MAGNUSSON Wium
  • Party: N/A

Last Presidential election:

• The last presidential election was held on June 29, 1996 in which Olafur Ragnar GRIMSSON won 40.9% of the votes. An election was slated for June 2000 but was not held because GRIMSSON ran unopposed for the position.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 292,074 (2004)
• Registered Voters: 213,553 (June 2004 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 145,337 (2004)

·         Is Iceland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (24 July 1980)

·         Has Iceland ratified CEDAW: Yes (18 June 1985)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 19 (following the 2003 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 16 (2014)

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

Disability Data:

·         Is Iceland a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Iceland ratified CRPD: No

·         Population with a disability: 43,428