Gambian presidential election, 1996
Encyclopedia
Presidential elections were held in the Gambia
on 29 September 1996. The first since Yahya Jammeh
's 1994 coup, they were also the first elections to be held under the new constitution
, and the first presidential elections to be held alone (i.e. not alongside simultaneous parliamentary elections). Voter turnout was exceptionally high, with 88% of the 446,541 registered voters voting.
Despite originally stating that he did not intend to run, Jammeh entered the race shortly before the election. He emerged victorious with 55.8% of the vote, winning the most votes in every district except Mansa Konko
(where UDP candidate Ousainou Darboe
was the most voted-for).
1 The number of invalid votes is extremely low due to the country's unique voting system of putting marbles into drums, which means that almost no votes are rejected.
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
on 29 September 1996. The first since Yahya Jammeh
Yahya Jammeh
Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia...
's 1994 coup, they were also the first elections to be held under the new constitution
Gambian constitutional referendum, 1996
A constitutional referendum was held in the Gambia on 8 August 1996. The new constitution was passed, with voter turnout of 85.9%.-Background:...
, and the first presidential elections to be held alone (i.e. not alongside simultaneous parliamentary elections). Voter turnout was exceptionally high, with 88% of the 446,541 registered voters voting.
Despite originally stating that he did not intend to run, Jammeh entered the race shortly before the election. He emerged victorious with 55.8% of the vote, winning the most votes in every district except Mansa Konko
Mansa Konko (Gambian subdivision)
Mansa Konko is one of eight Local Government Areas in The Gambia. Its boundaries are co-extensive with the administrative division of Lower River....
(where UDP candidate Ousainou Darboe
Ousainou Darboe
Ousainou Darboe is a Gambian human rights lawyer and politician. He is leader of the country's main opposition party, the United Democratic Party ....
was the most voted-for).
Results
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yahya Jammeh Yahya Jammeh Alhaji Dr. Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh is the President of The Gambia... |
Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction The Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction is a political party in The Gambia, founded by army officers who staged a coup in 1994. It was formed in 1996 to support army leader Yahya Jammeh's campaign for the 1996 elections.... |
220,011 | 55.77% |
| Ousainou Darboe Ousainou Darboe Ousainou Darboe is a Gambian human rights lawyer and politician. He is leader of the country's main opposition party, the United Democratic Party .... |
United Democratic Party United Democratic Party (The Gambia) The United Democratic Party is a conservative political party in The Gambia, affiliated to the International Democratic Union, founded in 1996 by the human rights lawyer Ousainou Darboe... |
141,387 | 35.84% |
| Hamat Bah Hamat Bah Hamat Bah is a Gambian politician and leader of the National Reconciliation Party . Running as his party's presidential candidate in 2001, he placed third, winning 7.8% of the vote... |
National Reconciliation Party National Reconciliation Party The National Reconciliation Party is a political party in The Gambia.Its candidate at the presidential elections of 18 October 2001, Hamat Bah, came third with 7.8% of the popular vote. At the last legislative elections, 17 January 2002, the party won no seats.... |
21,759 | 5.52% |
| Sidia Jatta Sidia Jatta Sidia Jatta is a Gambian politician, academic, and writer. Jatta founded the People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism in 1986. He is the editor of the party's newspaper, FOROYAA. He is also a member of the national assembly from Wuli West... |
People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism The People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and Socialism is a radical socialist political party in The Gambia. Its candidate at the presidential elections of 18 October 2001, Sidia Jatta, came fifth with 3.0% of the popular vote... |
11,337 | 2.87% |
| Invalid 1 | 43 | - | |
| Total (turnout 88.4%) | 394,537 | 100% | |
| Source: African Elections database | |||
1 The number of invalid votes is extremely low due to the country's unique voting system of putting marbles into drums, which means that almost no votes are rejected.