List of general elections in Botswana

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Botswana is a parliamentary republic with an executive presidency operating under a multi-party system.[1][2][3] The first president to govern Botswana was Sir Seretse Khama.[4] The country has had 13 formal general elections since 1961, with one happening every five years.[5][6] The recent election was held on 30 October 2024.[7] Each president is limited to two five-year terms; Quett Masire, the second president, created Botswana’s term limit in 1997.[8][9][10][11] The country first adopted universal franchise during the 1965 Bechuanaland general election.[12]

Diagram of Botswana’s parliament
Current composition of the Parliament of Botswana.[13][a]

Every election from independence until 2024 was won by the Botswana Democratic Party.[15][16] The President of Botswana is selected after the general election. For this process, the presidential candidate from the political party that wins a majority of the seats is sworn-in as president.[17]

Summary

The table below excludes European Advisory Council elections as members were elected by European residents, not citizens of the Protectorate themselves.[18][19] During these elections, Bechuanaland citizens also did not get to participate in the British Administration.[19]

List of general elections in Botswana
Election Winner Runner-up Seats won by
other parties 		Total seats Voter turnout Reference(s)
Party Seats won Party Seats won
1961[b] BPFP[c] n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a [20][21][22]
1965 BDP[d] 28 BPP[e] 3 0 31 74.55% [12][21][23]
1969 BDP 24 BNF[f] 3 4 31 54.7% [23][24]
1974 BDP 27 BNF 2 3 32 31.2% [23][25]
1979 BDP 29 BNF 2 1 32 58.4% [23][26]
1984 BDP 29 BNF 4 1 34 77.6% [23][27]
1989 BDP 31 BNF 3 0 34 68.2% [23][28][29]
1994 BDP 27 BNF 13 0 40 76.6% [23][30][31]
1999 BDP 33 BNF 6 1 40 77.11% [23][32][33]
2004 BDP 44 BNF 12 1 57 76.2% [23][34][35]
2009 BDP 45 BNF 6 6 57 76.71% [23][35][36][37]
2014 BDP 37 UDC[g] 17 3 57 84.75% [35][38]
2019 BDP 38 UDC 15 4 57 84.1% [35][14]
2024 UDC 36 BCP 15 10 61 81.42% [7][39][40]
  1. ^ There are 61 elected members and 8 appointed members in the parliament.[14]
  2. ^ A new constitution in 1960 created a Legislative Council, an Executive Council, and an Advisory African Council. The Legislative Council had just over 30 members; 10 colonial officials, 10 blacks, 10 whites, one Asian and some co-opted members. Seretse Khama received the most votes in the election for the black representatives.
  3. ^ Bechuanaland Protectorate Federal Party
  4. ^ Botswana Democratic Party
  5. ^ Botswana’s People Party
  6. ^ Botswana National Front
  7. ^ Umbrella for Democratic Change
  • Electoral maps of Botswana general elections
  • 1965 Bechuanaland general election results by constituency
    1965 Bechuanaland general election results by constituency
  • 1969 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1969 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1974 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1974 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1979 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1979 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1984 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1984 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1989 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1989 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1994 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1994 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1999 Botswana general election results by constituency
    1999 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2004 Botswana general election results by constituency
    2004 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2009 Botswana general election results by constituency
    2009 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2014 Botswana general election results by constituency
    2014 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2019 Botswana general election results by constituency
    2019 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2024 Botswana general election constituency map
    2024 Botswana general election constituency map

References

  1. ^ "World Factbook Glyph". cia.gov. CIA. Archived from the original on 9 January 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  2. ^ "History of Botswana | Events, People, Dates, Maps, & Facts | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Cambridge University". Cambridge.org. Cambridge. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Sir Seretse Khama | Botswana Leader, Independence & Legacy | Britannica". www.britannica.com. 26 April 2024. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Botswana at a Glance | Embassy of the Republic of Botswana in Washington, D.C." www.botswanaembassy.org. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  6. ^ "65. Botswana (1966-present)". UCA. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Africa Center". africacenter.org. Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
  8. ^ "Botswana: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  9. ^ Chan, Stephen (18 July 2017). "Ketumile Masire obituary". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 22 October 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  10. ^ Padnani, Amisha (29 June 2017). "Ketumile Masire, Who Shaped and Led a Vibrant Botswana, Dies at 91". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
  11. ^ "History". www.parliament.gov.bw. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b "EISA Botswana: The 1965 Pre-Independence General Election". 27 April 2023. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Botswana". Archived from the original on 22 March 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  14. ^ a b "IFES Election Guide | Elections: Botswana Parliament 2019". www.electionguide.org. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  15. ^ Warren, Shana. "Botswana's ruling party has been in power 50 years. That could change this week". Washington Post. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  16. ^ Friesen, Paul (6 November 2019). "Analysis | Botswana's ruling party won again. This makes 12 consecutive victories". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Botswana 12/09". state.gov archives. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  18. ^ "European And African Advisory Councils - Hansard - UK Parliament". UK Parliament. Archived from the original on 10 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  19. ^ a b R. D. Manungo, Kenneth. "The role of the Native Advisory Council in the Bechuanaland Protectorate, 1919-1960". Pula: Botswana Journal of African Studies, vol. 13, nos. 1 & 2 (1999). 13: 38. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Seretse Khama Wins Most Votes". The Times. No. 55084. 18 May 1961. p. 12.
  21. ^ a b "EISA Botswana: Late British colonialism (1945-1966)". 27 April 2023. Archived from the original on 27 April 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Botswana profile - Timeline". BBC News. 11 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Elections in Botswana". africanelections.tripod.com. Archived from the original on 18 May 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  24. ^ Macartney, W.J.A. (1971). "The General Election of 1969". Botswana Notes and Records. 3: 33–34. ISSN 0525-5090. JSTOR 40979273. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  25. ^ "EISA Botswana: The October 1974 General Election". 12 April 2020. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  26. ^ "EISA Botswana: The October 1979 General Election". 10 April 2021. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  27. ^ "BOTSWANA" (PDF). Inter-Parliamentary Union. 1984. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  28. ^ "EISA Botswana: The October 1989 General Election". 30 August 2020. Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  29. ^ "BOTSWANA: parliamentary elections National Assembly, 1989". archive.ipu.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  30. ^ "BOTSWANA: parliamentary elections National Assembly, 1994". archive.ipu.org. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  31. ^ "EISA Botswana: The October 1994 General Election". 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  32. ^ "BOTSWANA: parliamentary elections National Assembly, 1999". archive.ipu.org. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  33. ^ "EISA Botswana: The October 1999 General Election". 2 October 2013. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  34. ^ "IPU PARLINE database: BOTSWANA (National Assembly), Elections in 2004". archive.ipu.org. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  35. ^ a b c d "IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Botswana". www.electionguide.org. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  36. ^ "Election Results". IEC Botswana. Archived from the original on 26 September 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  37. ^ "EISA Botswana: 2009 National Assembly election results". 16 November 2022. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  38. ^ "2014 General Elections Report" (PDF). pp. 30–31. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  39. ^ "Election Calendar | EISA". www.eisa.org. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  40. ^ Mathala, Sharon (15 February 2023). "Four new constituencies come 2024". Mmegi Online. Archived from the original on 7 March 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.