Elections in Benin

Election Results

Presidential

--Single Party: 1964

--Multiparty: 1960, 1968 (May), 1968 (July), 1970, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011

Legislative

--Single Party: 1964, 1979, 1984, 1989

--Multiparty: 1957, 1959, 1960, 1991, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011

Referendums: 1958, 1964, 1968, 1990

31 March 1957 Territorial Assembly Election

Registered Voters	Not Available
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available

Party Number of Seats (60)

Republican Party of Dahomey (PRD) 35

Dahomeyan Democratic Union (UDD) 7

Democratic Movement of Dahomey (MDD) 6

Independents 12

28 September 1958 Constitutional Referendum

Main Points: Approval of the constitution meant internal autonomy within the "French Community." France agreed to grant independence to any territory that rejected the proposed constitution.

Ballot Question: Do you approve the Constitution proposed by the Government of the Republic?

Registered Voters	775,170
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	413,407 (53.3%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	3,198
Total Valid Votes	428,209

Results	Number of Votes	% of Votes
"Yes" Votes	418,963	97.84%
"No" Votes	9,246	2.16%

2 & 23 April 1959 Legislative Assembly Election

Registered Voters	Not Available
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (N/A)
Invalid/Blank Votes	Not Available
Total Valid Votes	369,995

Party	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Seats (70)
Republican Party of Dahomey (PRD)	144,038	38.93%	37
Dahomey Democratic Rally (RDD)	63,383	17.13%	22
Dahomeyan Democratic Union (UDD)	162,574	43.94%	11

*After the election, the Republican Party of Dahomey (PRD) and the Dahomeyan Democratic Union (UDD) agreed to divide the seats of one constituency. The resulting final composition was PRD - 28, UDD - 20, and the RDD - 22.

11 December 1960 Presidential & National Assembly Election* [Detailed Results]

Registered Voters	971,012
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	689,233 (71.0%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	6,982
Total Valid Votes	682,251

Party	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Seats (60)
Dahomeyan Unity Party (PDU)	468,679	68.70%	60
Dahomeyan Democratic Union (UDD)	213,572	31.30%	-

*The electoral law prescribed the direct election of President and Vice President as the top candidates of the party-list winning the National Assembly elections by a plurality. A month prior to the election, the Dahomeyan Democratic Rally (RDD) of Hubert Maga and the Dahomey Nationalist Party (PND) of Sourou-Migan Apithy merged to form the Dahomeyan Unity Party (PDU). As heads of winning party-list, Maga was elected President and Apithy Vice-President.

5 January 1964 Constitutional Referendum

Main Points: Presidential System of Government, No Presidential Term Limits, Unicameral Legislature

Registered Voters	1,051,614
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	968,229 (92.1%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	619
Total Valid Votes	967,610

Results	Number of Votes	% of Votes
"Yes" Votes	966,292	99.86%
"No" Votes	1,318	0.14%

19 January 1964 Presidential & National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	1,055,910
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (N/A)
Invalid/Blank Votes	Not Available
Total Valid Votes	995,929

Party	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Seats (42)
Dahomeyan Democratic Party (PDD)	995,929	100.00%	42

*The electoral law prescribed the direct election of President and Vice President as the top candidates of the party-list winning the National Assembly elections by a plurality. As heads of Dahomeyan Democratic Party's (PDD) list, Sourou-Migan Apithy was elected President and Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin Vice-President (and Head of Government).

31 March 1968 Constitutional Referendum

Main Points: Presidential System of Government, Unicameral Legislature, No Presidential Term Limits

Registered Voters	1,126,155
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	922,050 (82.6%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	3,221
Total Valid Votes	918,829

Results	Number of Votes	% of Votes
"Yes" Votes	847,212	92.20%
"No" Votes	71,617	7.80%

5 May 1968 Presidential Election*

Registered Voters	1,138,388
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	295,667 (26.0%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	8,275
Total Valid Votes	287,392

Candidate	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Basile Adjou	241,273	83.95%
Urbain Karim da Silva	19,319	6.72%
Eustache Prudencio	11,359	3.95%
Paul Hazoumé	11,091	3.86%
Jean-Baptiste Vierin	4,350	1.51%

*Due to low voter turnout, the election was annulled by the military government.

28 July 1968 Presidential Plebiscite*

Main Points: Endorsement of Émile Derlin Zinsou as president.

Registered Voters	1,140,378
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	828,076 (72.6%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	3,269
Total Valid Votes	824,807

Results	Number of Votes	% of Votes
"Yes" Votes	630,018	73.68%
"No" Votes	194,789	26.32%

*Following the annulled election of 5 May 1968, the military authorities appointed Émile Derlin Zinsou President. He accepted under the condition that a plebiscite be held on the issue.

9-29 March 1970 Presidential Election* [Results by Province]

Registered Voters	997,226
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	565,347 (56.7%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	18,223
Total Valid Votes	547,124

Candidate	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Justin Ahomadegbé-Tomêtin	200,092	36.57%
Sourou-Migan Apithy	176,828	32.32%
Hubert Maga	152,551	27.88%
Émile Derlin Zinsou	17,653	3.23%

*The election was held in five of the six provinces at four-day intervals beginning on 9 March 1970. The sixth province, Atakora, was scheduled to vote on 29 March, but the military government postponed and later annulled the election under the pretext of growing political violence and electoral irregularities.

Single Party Elections

Sole Legal Party: Benin People's Revolutionary Party (PRPB)

20 November 1979 National Revolutionary Assembly Election (336 Seats)

Registered Voters	1,582,910
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,275,461 (80.6%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	5,410
Total Valid Votes	1,270,051
"Yes" Votes	1,248,613 (98.31%)
"No" Votes	21,438 (1.69%)

10 June 1984 National Revolutionary Assembly Election (196 Seats)

Registered Voters	1,987,173
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,851,044 (93.1%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	5,119
Total Valid Votes	1,845,925
“Yes” Votes	1,811,808 (98.15%)
“No” Votes	27,720 (1.50%)
Abstentions	6,397 (0.35%)

18 June 1989 National Revolutionary Assembly Election (206 Seats)

Registered Voters	2,200,815
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (N/A)
Invalid/Blank Votes	Not Available
Total Valid Votes	1,892,701
“Yes” Votes	1,695,860 (89.60%)
“No” Votes	164,665 (8.70%)
Abstentions	32,176 (1.70%)

Note: Mathieu Kérékou was elected President without opposition by the National Revolutionary Assembly on 6 February 1980. He was re-elected on 31 July 1984 and 2 August 1989.

2 December 1990 Constitutional Referendum*

Main Points: Multiparty System, Presidential Age Limits

Registered Voters	2,052,105
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,304,870 (63.6%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	40,229
Total Valid Votes	1,264,641

Results		Number of Votes	% of Votes
"Yes" Votes		1,178,924	93.22%
	Age Limits	(926,860)		73.29%
	No Age Limits	(252,064)		19.93%
"No" Votes		85,717	6.78%

*Voters were ask to choose between two versions of the Constitution, one of which incorporated a clause stipulating upper and lower age-limits for presidential candidates.

17 February 1991 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	2,069,343
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,069,367 (51.7%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	39,350
Total Valid Votes	1,030,017

Party/[Coalition]	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Seats (64)
Union for the Triumph of Democratic Renewal [UTRD]	194,213	18.86%	12
National Party for Democracy and Development-Democratic Renewal Party [PNDD-PRD]	120,705	11.72%	9
Social Democratic Party-National Union for Solidarity and Progress [PSD-UNSP]	101,348	9.84%	8
National Rally for Democracy (RND)	124,392	12.08%	7
Our Common Cause (NCC)	104,347	10.13%	6
National Movement for Democracy and Development-Movement for Solidarity, Union, and Progress-Union for Democracy and National Reconstruction [MNDD-MSUP-UDRN]	86,556	8.40%	6
Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS)	72,899	7.08%	5
Rally of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction-Vivoten (RDL-Vivoten)	57,852	5.62%	4
Alliance for Social Democracy-Bloc for Social Democracy [ASD-BSD]	35,700	3.47%	3
Alliance for Democracy and Progress-Democratic Union for Social Renewal [ADP-UDRS]	38,684	3.76%	2
National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP)	31,601	3.07%	1
Popular Republican Union-National Labor Party [URP-PNT]	20,490	1.99%	1
Democratic Union for Social and Economic Development (UDES)	25,893	2.51%	-
Builders and Managers of Freedom and Development (BGLD)	15,337	1.49%	-

March 1991 Presidential Election

First Round (10 March 1991)*

Registered Voters	2,064,311
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,162,515 (56.3%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	18,902
Total Valid Votes	1,143,613

Second Round (24 March 1991)

Registered Voters	2,050,000 (approx.)
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (approx. 64%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	Not Available
Total Valid Votes	1,290,047

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]	First Round		Second Round
Candidate (Party) [Coalition]	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Nicéphore Soglo [UTRD]	415,262	36.31%	873,790	67.73%
Mathieu Kérékou	310,978	27.19%	416,257	32.27%
Albert Tévoédjré (NCC)	162,498	14.21%	-	-
Bruno Amoussou (PSD)	65,999	5.77%	-	-
Adrien Houngbédji (PRD)	51,888	4.54%	-	-
Moise Mensah	39,250	3.43%	-	-
Sévérin Adjovi (RDL-Vivoten)	29,854	2.61%	-	-
Bertin Borna	18,484	1.62%	-	-
Idelphonse Lemon	11,297	0.99%	-	-
Assani Fassassi	10,334	0.90%	-	-
Gatien Houngbédji (UDES)	10,210	0.89%	-	-
Robert Dossou (ASD)	9,551	0.84%	-	-
Thomas Goudou (BGLD)	8,008	0.70%	-	-

*There are conflicting figures regarding this election, but the results that appear in the table above are the most reliable. A side-by-side comparison of the differing results can be found here.

28 March 1995 National Assembly Election*

Registered Voters	2,536,234
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,922,553 (75.8%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	43,361
Total Valid Votes	1,876,192

Party/[Coalition]		Number of Seats (83)
Renaissance Party of Benin (PRB)		21
Presidential Tendency**		11
	Union for Democracy and National Solidarity (UDS)		5
	New Generation [NG]		2
	Alliance for Social Democracy (ASD)		1
	National Movement for Democracy and Development (MNDD)		1
	African Rally for Progress and Solidarity (RAP)		1
	National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP)		1
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)		19
Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD-Alafia)		10
Social Democratic Party (PSD)		8
Rally of Liberal Democrats for National Reconstruction-Vivoten (RDL-Vivoten)		3
Our Common Cause (NCC)		3
Impulse for Progress and Democracy [IPD]		3
Communist Party of Benin (PCB)		1
Alliance for Democracy and Development (ADD)		1
Alliance for Democracy and Progress (ADP)		1
Chameleon Alliance [AC]		1
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)		1

*The Constitutional Court invalidated results affecting 13 seats due to multiple irregularities. Partial elections were held on 28 May 1995 to fill those seats.

**The Presidential Tendency was not a formal coalition. It was, instead, a grouping of parties that supported President Soglo.

March 1996 Presidential Election

First Round (3 March 1996)*

Registered Voters	2,517,970
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	2,211,677 (87.8%)
Invalid/Annulled Votes	540,653
Total Valid Votes	1,671,024

Second Round (18 March 1996)

Registered Voters	2,524,262
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,958,855 (77.6%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	54,776
Total Valid Votes	1,904,079

Candidate (Party)	First Round		Second Round
Candidate (Party)	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Nicéphore Soglo (RB)	596,371	35.69%	904,626	47.51%
Mathieu Kérékou	567,084	33.94%	999,453	52.49%
Adrien Houngbédji (PRD)	329,364	19.71%	-	-
Bruno Amoussou (PSD)	129,731	7.76%	-	-
Pascal Fontondji (PCB)	17,977	1.08%	-	-
Lionel Agbo	15,418	0.92%	-	-
Léandre Djagoué	15,079	0.90%	-	-

*The distribution of spoilt ballots (540,653) was as follows: Invalid (45,980); Votes annulled by the Constitutional Court (494,673).

30 March 1999 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	2,533,399
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,776,108 (70.1%)

Party/[Coalition]		Number of Seats (83)
Renaissance Party of Benin (RB)		27
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)		11
Action Front for Renewal and Development (FARD-Alafia)		10
Social Democratic Party (PSD)		9
African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP)		6
Star Alliance [AE]		4
Impulse for Progress and Democracy [IPD]		4
African Congress for Renewal (CAR-Dunya)		3
Movement for Citizens' Commitment and Awakening (MERCI)		2
Suru Alliance [SURU]		1
Democratic Party of Benin (PDB)		1
National Rally for Unity and Democracy (RUND)		1
National Party "Together" (PNE)		1
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)		1
Salute Party (PS)		1
Rally for Progress and Renewal-National Union for Solidarity and Development [RPR-UNSD]		1

March 2001 Presidential Election

First Round (4 March 2001)

Registered Voters	3,034,471
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	2,662,595 (87.7%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	181,066
Total Valid Votes	2,481,529

Second Round (18 March 2001)

Registered Voters	3,152,365
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,707,604 (54.2%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	173,809
Total Valid Votes	1,533,795

Candidate (Party)	First Round		Second Round
Candidate (Party)	Number of Votes	% of Votes	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Mathieu Kérékou (FARD-Alafia)	1,127,100	45.42%	1,282,855	83.64%
Nicéphore Soglo (RB)	672,927	27.12%	*
Adrien Houngbédji (PRD)	313,186	12.62%	*
Bruno Amoussou (PSD)	213,136	8.59%	250,940	16.36%
Sacca Lafia (UDS)	29,656	1.20%	-	-
François-Xavier Loko	16,656	0.67%	-	-
Soulé Dankoro (PDB)	15,614	0.63%	-	-
Adébayo Abimbola (RND)	15,251	0.61%	-	-
Wallis Zoumarou (UNSP)	13,576	0.55%	-	-
Rhétice Dagba	12,697	0.51%	-	-
Marie-Elise Gbèdo	8,952	0.36%	-	-
Léandre Djagoué (RDL-Vivoten)	8,565	0.35%	-	-
Lionel Adbo (CAD)	8,226	0.33%	-	-
Gatien Houngbédji (UDES)	8,092	0.33%	-	-
Olofindji Akandé	6,258	0.25%	-	-
Sadikou Alao (ANAD)	6,223	0.25%	-	-
François Kouyami	5,414	0.22%	-	-

*Both Nicéphore Soglo and Adrien Houngbédji boycotted the second round of the election citing electoral irregularities.

30 March 2003 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	3,084,422
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	1,724,093 (55.9%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	237,819
Total Valid Votes	1,486,274

Party/[Coalition]		Number of Seats (83)
Presidential Movement [MP]		52
	Union for the Benin of the Future (UBF)		31
	African Movement for Democracy and Progress (MADEP)		9
	Key Force (FC)		5
	Movement for Development by the Culture-Salute Party-Congress of People for Progress Alliance [Alliance MDC-PS-CPP]		2
	Impulse for Progress and Democracy (IPD)		2
	Alliance of Progress Forces (AFP)		1
	Movement for Development and Solidarity (MDS)		1
	Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP)		1
Opposition		31
	Renaissance Party of Benin (RB)		15
	Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)		11
	Star Alliance [AE]		3
	The New Alliance [LNA]		2

March 2006 Presidential Election

First Round (5 March 2006)*

Registered Voters

3,917,865

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

3,200,944 (81.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

186,777

Total Valid Votes

3,014,167

Second Round (19 March 2006)**

Registered Voters

3,919,550

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

2,725,634 (69.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

69,564

Total Valid Votes

2,656,070

Candidate (Party) [Coalition] First Round Second Round

Number of Votes % of Votes Number of Votes % of Votes

Yayi Boni 1,074,308 35.78% 1,979,305 74.60%

Adrien Houngbédji (PRD) 727,239 24.22% 673,937 25.40%

Bruno Amoussou (PSD) [ABN] 489,122 16.29% - -

Léhadi Soglo (RB) 253,478 8.44% - -

Antoine Kolawolé Idji (MADEP) 97,595 3.25% - -

Lazare Sèhouéto (MAP) 61,195 2.04% - -

Sévérin Adjovi (RDL-Vivoten) 53,304 1.78% - -

Antoine Dayori (FE) 37,436 1.25% - -

Kamarou Fassassi (PRD-NG) 29,494 0.98% - -

Janvier Yahouédéhou 23,054 0.77% - -

Luc Gnacadja (ENVOL) 20,269 0.68% - -

Daniel Tawéma (FARD-Alafia) 18,125 0.60% - -

Ibrahima Idrissou (RUND) 18,106 0.60% - -

Richard Sènou 15,672 0.52% - -

Soulé Dankoro (PDB) 9,929 0.33% - -

Marie-Elise Gbèdo 9,815 0.33% - -

Célestine Zanou 9,474 0.32% - -

Lionel Agbo (CAD) 9,026 0.30% - -

Zul Kifl Salami 8,538 0.28% - -

Richard Adjaho 7,448 0.25% - -

Gatien Houngbédji (UDES) 6,544 0.22% - -

Adolphe Djimon Hodonou 6,512 0.22% - -

Galiou Soglo 5,243 0.17% - -

Léandre Djagoué (RDL-Hêviosso) 4,665 0.15% - -

Marcel Gbaguidi 3,479 0.12% - -

Raphiou Toukourou 3,419 0.11% - -

*Official results published by the Constitutional Court state that 3,014,167 valid votes were cast, but the distribution of votes among candidates totals 3,002,489 (a difference of 11,678 votes). Percentage figures in the table are based on the latter number of valid votes cast.

**Official results published by the Constitutional Court state that 2,656,070 valid votes were cast, but the distribution of votes among candidates totals 2,653,242 (a difference of 2,828 votes). Percentage figures in the table are based on the latter number of valid votes cast.

31 March 2007 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	3,900,000 (approx.)
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (approx. 59%)

Party/[Coalition]		Number of Seats (83)
Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)		35
Alliance for a Dynamic Democracy [ADD]		20
Democratic Renewal Party (PRD)		10
Key Force (FC)		4
Union for Relief (UPR)		3
National Union for Democracy and Progress (UNDP)		2
Hope Force (FE)		2
Coalition for an Emerging Benin (CBE)		2
Renewal Alliance (AR)		2
Alliance of Progress Forces (AFP)		1
Party for Democracy and Social Progress (PDPS)		1
Restore Hope (RE)		1

13 March 2011 Presidential Election

Registered Voters	3,668,558
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	3,111,833 (84.8%)
Invalid/Blank Votes	139,388
Total Valid Votes	2,972,445

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]	Number of Votes	% of Votes
Yayi Boni	1,579,550	53.14%
Adrien Houngbédji (PRD) [UN]	1,059,396	35.64%
Abdoulaye Bio Tchané	182,484	6.14%
Issa Salifou (UPR)	37,219	1.25%
Christian Lagnidé	19,221	0.65%
Janvier Yahouédéhou (RP)	16,591	0.56%
Jean Yves Sinzogan	13,561	0.46%
Marie-Elise Gbèdo	12,017	0.40%
Victor Topanou (PUR)	11,516	0.39%
Kessilé Tchalla	9,469	0.32%
Cyr M'Po Kouagou	9,285	0.31%
Antoine Dayori (FE)	8,426	0.28%
Salomon Joseph Biokou	7,893	0.27%
Joachim Dahissiho	5,817	0.20%

Note: The political party affiliations of certain candidates has proven difficult to determine.

30 April 2011 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters	3,629,837
Total Votes (Voter Turnout)	Not Available (N/A)

Party/[Coalition]		Number of Seats (83)
Cauri Forces for an Emerging Benin (FCBE)		41
Union Makes the Nation [UN]		30
Amana Alliance		2
G13 Baobab Alliance		2
Union for Benin (UB)		2
Strength in Unity Alliance (AFU)		2
Hope Force-Union for Relief [FE-UPR]		2
Cauris 2 Alliance		2