2012 Kiribati presidential election

2012 Kiribati presidential election
← 2007 13 January 2012 2016 →
 
Candidate Anote Tong Tetaua Taitai Rimeta Beniamina
Party PTK KTK MKP
Popular vote 14,315 11,886 7,738
Percentage 42.18% 35.02% 22.80%
Home Island Tabuaeran Tabiteuea Nikunau
President before election

Anote Tong

 Elected President

Anote Tong

Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 13 January 2012,[1] following two-round parliamentary elections held in October 2011. Incumbent President Anote Tong sought re-election to a third four-year term, ending months of speculation about his decision.[2][3]

Tong beat Tetaua Taitai of the United Coalition Party and Rimeta Beniamina of the Maurin Kiribati Party with a little over 42% of the vote.[4]

Background

The elections, initially scheduled for 30 December 2011, were postponed to 13 January 2012 in order to allow citizens of the country to travel to celebrate the New Year.[5]

Electoral system

The president was elected by popular vote from among three or four candidates chosen by MPs, and was limited to three four-year terms under the constitution.[6]

Campaign

The new House of Assembly of Kiribati nominated three candidates for the presidency following the 2011 parliamentary election.[6]

Results

Incumbent President Anote Tong was the outright winner and re-elected as president of Kiribati, with an aggregate total of 14,315 votes or 42% of the total vote.[4] President Tong defeated his closest challenger, Tetaui Taitai, by more than 7%, or 2,500 votes.[4] The third challenger, Rimeta Beniamina, only received 7,738 votes. Tong was the leading candidate in 14 out of the 23 constituencies.[7][8]

President Tong's percentage of the vote (42%) was much less than his 2007 re-election, when he received 64% of the popular vote.[4]

Voter turnout was approximately 68% for the election.[7] This was higher than the 2007 presidential elections, when voter participation was a little over 50%.[4]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Anote TongPillars of Truth14,31542.18
Tetaua TaitaiUnited Coalition Party11,88635.02
Rimeta BeniaminaMaurin Kiribati Party7,73822.80
Total33,939100.00
Registered voters/turnout49,910–
Source: IFES

References

  1. ^ Kiribati elections delayed Radio Australia, 30 December 2011
  2. ^ Matau, Robert (12 October 2011). "Tong confirms contesting next election". Islands Business. Archived from the original on 20 October 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Kiribati President confident he can win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 27 September 2011. Retrieved 17 October 2011.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Tong wins third term as Kiribati president". Radio Australia. 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 3 March 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Kiribati elections delayed". Australia News Network. 30 December 2011. Archived from the original on 1 July 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  6. ^ a b "Parliament Nominates 3 Candidates for Kiribati President". The Kiribati Independent. East–West Center's Pacific Islands Report. 25 November 2011. Archived from the original on 12 February 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Kiribati's Tong beats challengers to win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 14 January 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Results of the 2012 Presidential Election in Kiribati". Kiribati Online Community. 14 January 2012. Archived from the original on 29 May 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.