AFRICAN ELECTIONS DATABASE
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Elections in Senegal
 
Political Profile
Political System: Democracy
President: Abdoulaye Wade (PDS) [since 01 April 2000; elected 2000, re-elected 2007] The President is elected by direct popular vote for a 5-year term. Electoral System: Two Round (Run-off).
Prime Minister: Cheikh Hadjibou Soumaré [since 19 June 2007] The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
Parliament [bicameral]
--Senate (100 Seats) 35 are indirectly elected by members of the National Assembly, local, municipal and regional councils as well as the Superior Council of Senegalese Abroad, 65 members are appointed by the President; members serve 5-year terms.
--National Assembly  (150 Seats) Members are elected by direct popular vote through parallel systems - 90 in single or multi-member constituencies using the first-past-the-post system and 60 by party-list proportional representation; members serve 5-year terms.
Political Situation since Independence
1960-1963 Emerging Democracy
1963-1966 Restricted Democratic Practice
1966-1974 One Party State (UPS)
1974-1978 Restricted Democratic Practice
1978-2000 Emerging Democracy
2000-        Democracy
2007 Freedom House Rating: Political Rights - 2, Civil Liberties - 3, Status: Free
Next Scheduled Presidential Election: 2012
Next Scheduled National Assembly Election: 2012
Political Parties: ADN - Action for National Development, AFP - Alliance of Progressive Forces, AJ-PADS - And Jëf-African Party for Democracy and Socialism (left-wing, socialist), APJ-JJ - Alliance for Progress and Justice-Jëf-Jël (centrist), BGC - Gaïndé Centrist Bloc (centrist), CDP-Garab Gi - Convention for Democrats and Patriots-Garab Gi (left-wing), DUS - Senegalese Democracy and Unity, FSD-BJ - Front for Socialism and Democracy-Benno Jubël (left-wing), LD-MPT - Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (far-left), MDP - People’s Democratic Movement, MRDN - Revolutionary Movement for New Democracy, MLPS - Senegalese People's Liberal Movement, MSU - Movement for Socialism and Unity, PAI - African Independence Party, PDS - Senegalese Democratic Party (center-left, liberal), PDS-R - Senegalese Democratic Party-Renewal (centrist), PIT - Independence and Labor Party (far-left, communist), PLP - Party for the Liberation of People, PLS - Senegalese Liberal Party, PPC - Party for Progress and Citizenship, PPS - Senegalese People's Party, PS - Socialist Party (left-wing, social-democratic), RND - National Democratic Rally (far-left), RTA-S - Rally of African Laborers-Senegal, UDF-Mboloomi - Union for Democracy and Federalism-Mboolomi, UDS-R - Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal, UPR - Union for the Republic, UPS - Senegalese Progressive Union, URD - Union for Democratic Renewal
Coalitions: Let Us Unite Senegal (JLS) [Contested the 1993 National Assembly Election] Member Parties include the National Democratic Rally (RND), And Jëf-African Party for Democracy and Socialism (AJ-PADS), and Convention for Democrats and Patriots-Garab Gi (CDP-Garab Gi); Alternative 2000 Coalition [Contested the 2000 Presidential Election] Member parties include the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS), Action for National Development (ADN), And Jëf-African Party for Democracy and Socialism (AJ-PADS), Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT), Movement for Socialism and Unity (MSU), Independence and Labor Party (PIT), and the Union for Democracy and Federalism-Mboolomi (UDF-Mboolomi); SOPI "Change" Coalition [Contested the 2001 National Assembly Election] A Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) led alliance of 40 political parties.
 
Election Results
 
 
Presidential
--Multiparty: 1963, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 2000, 2007
--Single Party: 1968, 1973
Legislative
--National Assembly
----Multiparty: 1959, 1963, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2007
----Single Party: 1968, 1973
--Senate: 1999
Referenda: 1963, 1970, 2001
 
 
1959 Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

The Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS) won the election. No figures available.
 
Note: Léopold Sédar Senghor (UPS) was elected president on 5 September 1960 following the withdrawal of Senegal from the short-lived Mali Federation.
 
03 March 1963 Referendum
Main Points: Abolition of the post of Prime Minister

Registered Voters

 1,232,479

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,162,060 (94.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

          634

Total Valid Votes

 1,161,426

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

1,155,077

99.45%

"No" Votes

6,349

00.55%

 
01 December 1963 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

 1,340,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,156,059 (approx. 86%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       6,124

Total Valid Votes

 1,149,935

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Léopold Sédar Senghor (UPS)

1,149,935

100.00%

 
01 December 1963 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 1,340,000 (approx.)

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,203,782 (approx. 90%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       1,488

Total Valid Votes

 1,202,294

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (80)

Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS)

1,132,518

94.20%

80

Senegalese Democracy and Unity (DUS)

69,776

5.80%

-

 
Single Party Elections
Sole Legal Party: Senegalese Progressive Union (UPS)

25 February 1968 Presidential Election (Léopold Sédar Senghor re-elected unopposed)

Registered Voters

1,306,791

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,237,431 (94.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       7,504

Total Valid Votes

1,229,927

Léopold Sédar Senghor

1,229,927 (100.00%)

25 February 1968 National Assembly Election (80 Seats)

Registered Voters

1,306,791

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,215,730 (93.0%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       5,746

Total Valid Votes

1,209,984

UPS

1,209,984 (100.00%)

22 February 1970 Referendum
Main Points: Reintroduction of the Post of Prime Minister

Registered Voters

1,329,701

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,266,381 (95.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       4,259

Total Valid Votes

1,262,122

"Yes" Votes

1,261,580 (99.96%)

"No" Votes

          542 (00.04%)

28 January 1973 Presidential Election (Léopold Sédar Senghor re-elected unopposed)

Registered Voters

1,396,634

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Léopold Sédar Senghor

100.00%

28 January 1973 National Assembly Election (100 Seats)

Registered Voters

1,396,634

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

UPS

100.00%

 
26 February 1978 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Candidate (Party)

% of Votes

Léopold Sédar Senghor (PS)

82.02%

Abdoulaye Wade (PDS)

17.38%

 
26 February 1978 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

Not Available (N/A)

Party

Number of Seats (100)

Socialist Party (PS)

83

Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)

17

African Independence Party (PAI)

-

 
27 February 1983 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

 1,928,257

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,093,244 (56.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       4,169

Total Valid Votes

 1,089,075

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Abdou Diouf (PS)

908,879

83.45%

Abdoulaye Wade (PDS)

161,067

14.79%

Mamadou Dia (MDP)

15,150

1.39%

Oumar Wone (PPS)

2,146

0.20%

Majhemout Diop (PAI)

1,833

0.17%

 
27 February 1983 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 1,928,257

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,083,681 (56.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       4,511

Total Valid Votes

 1,079,170

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (120)

Socialist Party (PS)

862,713

79.94%

111

Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)

150,785

13.97%

08

National Democratic Rally (RND)

29,271

2.71%

01

People’s Democratic Movement (MDP)

13,030

1.21%

-

Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT)

12,053

1.12%

-

Independence and Labor Party (PIT)

5,910

0.55%

-

African Independence Party (PAI)

3,269

0.30%

-

Senegalese People's Party (PPS)

2,139

0.20%

-

 
28 February 1988 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

 1,932,265

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,135,501 (58.8%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       4,033

Total Valid Votes

 1,131,468

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Abdou Diouf (PS)

828,301

73.20%

Abdoulaye Wade (PDS)

291,869

25.80%

Babacar Niang (PLP)

8,449

0.75%

Landing Savané (MRDN)

2,849

0.25%

 
28 February 1988 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 1,932,265

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,118,246 (57.9%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       4,500

Total Valid Votes

 1,113,746

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (120)

Socialist Party (PS)

794,559

71.34%

103

Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)

275,552

24.74%

17

Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT)

15,664

1.41%

-

Party for the Liberation of People (PLP)

13,186

1.18%

-

Independence and Labor Party (PIT)

9,304

0.84%

-

Senegalese Democratic Party-Renewal (PDS-R)

5,481

0.49%

-

 
21 February 1993 Presidential Election

Registered Voters

 2,549,699

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,312,154 (51.5%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     15,499

Total Valid Votes

 1,296,655

Candidate (Party)

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Abdou Diouf (PS)

757,311

58.40%

Abdoulaye Wade (PDS)

415,295

32.03%

Landing Savané (AJ-PADS)

37,787

2.91%

Abdoulaye Bathily (LD-MPT)

31,279

2.41%

Iba Der Thiam (CDP-Garab Gi)

20,840

1.61%

Madior Diouf (RND)

12,635

0.97%

Mamadou Lô

11,058

0.85%

Babacar Niang (PLP)

10,450

0.81%

 
09 May 1993 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 Not Available

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,070,539 (approx. 41%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

       5,957

Total Valid Votes

 1,064,582

Party/[Coalition]

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (120)

Socialist Party (PS)

602,171

56.56%

84

Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)

321,585

30.21%

27

Let Us Unite Senegal [JLS]

52,189

4.90%

03

Democratic League-Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT)

43,950

4.13%

03

Independence and Labor Party (PIT)

32,348

3.04%

02

Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal (UDS-R)

12,339

1.16%

01

 
24 May 1998 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 3,164,827

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,243,026 (39.3%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     13,903

Total Valid Votes

 1,229,123

Party

% of Votes

Number of Seats (140)

Socialist Party (PS)

50.2%

93

Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS)

19.2%

23

Union for Democratic Renewal (URD)

13.1%

11

And Jëf-African Party for Democracy and Socialism (AJ-PADS)

4.9%

04

Democratic League Labor Party Movement (LD-MPT)

3.7%

03

Convention for Democrats and Patriots-Garab Gi (CDP-Garab Gi)

2.0%

01

Front for Socialism and Democracy-Benno Jubël (FSD-BJ)

1.3%

01

Senegalese Democratic Union-Renewal (UDS-R)

1.1%

01

Independence and Labor Party (PIT)

0.9%

01

National Democratic Rally (RND)

0.7%

01

Gaïndé Centrist Bloc (BGC)

0.6%

01

 
24 January 1999 Senatorial Election*

Total Votes

10,775

Party

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (60)

Socialist Party (PS)

9,840

91.32%

58

African Independence Party (PAI)

609

5.65%

01

Senegalese Liberal Party (PLS)

326

3.03%

01

*On 24 January 1999, a new Upper House of Parliament known as the Senate was created in Senegal as a further step in the country's decentralization program. Of its 60 members, 45 are elected by members of the National Assembly and by local, municipal and regional councils. A further 12 members are appointed by the President of the Republic and the remaining three Senators are elected by Senegalese nationals living abroad. The poll was boycotted by a majority of the opposition parties, which viewed its creation as inappropriate. The Senate was abolished following a constitutional referendum held in January 2001.
 
February/March 2000 Presidential Election
First Round (27 February 2000)

Registered Voters

 2,725,987

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,696,384 (62.2%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     23,400

Total Valid Votes

 1,672,984
Second Round (19 March 2000)

Registered Voters

 2,745,239

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,667,775 (60.8%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     10,474

Total Valid Votes

 1,657,301

Candidate (Party) [Coalition]

First Round

Second Round

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Abdoulaye Wade (PDS) [Alternative 2000]

518,740

31.01%

969,332

58.49%

Abdou Diouf (PS)

690,917

41.30%

687,969

41.51%

Moustapha Niassé (AFP)

280,538

16.77%

-

-

Djibo Leïty Kâ (URD)

118,484

7.08%

-

-

Iba Der Thiem (CDP-Garab Gi)

20,164

1.21%

-

-

Ousseynou Fall (PRS)

18,604

1.11%

-

-

Cheikh Abdoulaye Dièye (FSD-BJ)

16,211

0.97%

-

-

Mademba Sock (RTA-S)

9,326

0.56%

-

-

 
07 January 2001 Constitutional Referendum
Main Points: Reduction of Presidential term from 7 to 5 years, Unicameral Legislature (Abolishing the Senate)

Registered Voters

 2,563,411

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,685,162 (65.7%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     26,622

Total Valid Votes

 1,658,540

Results

Number of Votes

% of Votes

"Yes" Votes

1,559,432

94.02%

"No" Votes

99,108

05.98%

 
29 April 2001 National Assembly Election

Registered Voters

 2,804,352

Total Votes (Voter Turnout)

1,889,928 (67.4%)

Invalid/Blank Votes

     11,082

Total Valid Votes

 1,878,846

Party/Coalition

Number of Votes

% of Votes

Number of Seats (120)

Sopi coalition

931,617

49.58%

89

Alliance of Progressive Forces (AFP)

303,150