Kiribati presidential election, 2012

Kiribati presidential election, 2012
Kiribati
13 January 2012
 
Nominee Anote Tong Tetaua Taitai Rimeta Beniamina
Running mate Teima Onorio
Popular vote 14,315 11,886 7,738
Percentage 42.18% 35.02% 22.80%
President before election

Anote Tong

 Elected President

Anote Tong

Kiribati
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A presidential election was held in Kiribati on 13 January 2012,[1] following a two-round parliamentary election held in October 2011.[2] Incumbent President Anote Tong sought re-election to a third four-year term, ending months of speculation about his decision.[3][4]

Tong beat Tetaua Taitai and Rimeta Beniamina, who led the Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati political party in the last parliament,[5] with a little over 42% of the vote.[6]

Background

The president, who is elected by popular vote from among three or four candidates chosen by legislators from within the parliament, is limited to three four-year terms under the constitution.[5]

Date

The election, initially scheduled for 30 December 2011, was postponed to 13 January 2012 in order to allow citizens of the country to travel to celebrate the New Year.[7]

Candidates

The new House of Assembly of Kiribati nominated three candidates for the presidency following the 2011 parliamentary election.[5]

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.[6] President Tong defeated his closest challenger, Tetaui Taitai, by more than 7%, or 2,500 votes.[6] The third challenger, Rimeta Beniamina, only received 7,738 votes. Tong was the leading candidate in 14 out of the 23 constituencies.[8][9]

President Tong's percentage of the vote (42%) was much less than his 2007 re-election, when he received 64% of the popular vote.[6]

Voter turnout in Kiribati was approximately 68% for the election.[8] This was higher than the 2007 presidential election, when voter participation was a little over 50%.[6]

 Summary of the 13 January 2012 Kiribatian presidential election results
Candidates - Parties Votes %
Anote Tong – The Pillars of Truth 14,315 42.18
Tetaua Taitai 11,886 35.02
Rimeta Beniamina – Kamaeuraoan Te I-Kiribati 7,738 22.80
Total (turnout ~68%) 33,939 100.00
Source: Kiribati Online Community

References

  1. ↑ http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/201112/3400097.htm?desktop
  2. ↑ http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm
  3. ↑ Matau, Robert (2011-10-12). "Tong confirms contesting next election". Islands Business. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  4. ↑ "Kiribati President confident he can win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  5. 1 2 3 "Parliament Nominates 3 Candidates for Kiribati President". The Kiribati Independent (East–West Center's Pacific Islands Report). 2011-11-25. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tong wins third term as Kiribati president". Radio Australia. 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  7. ↑ "Kiribati elections delayed". Australia News Network. 2011-12-30. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  8. 1 2 "Kiribati’s Tong beats challengers to win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  9. ↑ "Results of the 2012 Presidential Election in Kiribati". Kiribati Online Community. 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2012-01-15.

External links

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