2012 Kiribati presidential election
13 January 2012
 
Nominee Anote Tong Tetaua Taitai Rimeta Beniamina
Party PTK KTK MKP
Popular vote 14,315 11,886 7,738
Percentage 42.18% 35.02% 22.80%
President before election

Anote Tong

 Elected President

Anote Tong

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

Tong beat Tetaua Taitai of the United Coalition Party and Rimeta Beniamina of the Maurin Kiribati Party with a little over 42% of the vote.[4]

Background

The elections, initially scheduled for 30 December 2011, were postponed to 13 January 2012 in order to allow citizens of the country to travel to celebrate the New Year.[5]

Electoral system

The president was elected by popular vote from among three or four candidates chosen by MPs, and was limited to three four-year terms under the constitution.[6]

Campaign

The new House of Assembly of Kiribati nominated three candidates for the presidency following the 2011 parliamentary election.[6]

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.[4] President Tong defeated his closest challenger, Tetaui Taitai, by more than 7%, or 2,500 votes.[4] The third challenger, Rimeta Beniamina, only received 7,738 votes. Tong was the leading candidate in 14 out of the 23 constituencies.[7][8]

President Tong's percentage of the vote (42%) was much less than his 2007 re-election, when he received 64% of the popular vote.[4]

Voter turnout was approximately 68% for the election.[7] This was higher than the 2007 presidential elections, when voter participation was a little over 50%.[4]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Anote TongPillars of Truth14,31542.18
Tetaua TaitaiUnited Coalition Party11,88635.02
Rimeta BeniaminaMaurin Kiribati Party7,73822.80
Total33,939100.00
Registered voters/turnout49,910–
Source: IFES

References

  1. ↑ Kiribati elections delayed Radio Australia, 30 December 2011
  2. ↑ Matau, Robert (2011-10-12). "Tong confirms contesting next election". Islands Business. Archived from the original on 2011-10-20. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  3. ↑ "Kiribati President confident he can win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 2011-09-27. Retrieved 2011-10-17.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tong wins third term as Kiribati president". Radio Australia. 2012-01-14. Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  5. ↑ "Kiribati elections delayed". Australia News Network. 2011-12-30. Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
  6. 1 2 "Parliament Nominates 3 Candidates for Kiribati President". The Kiribati Independent. East–West Center's Pacific Islands Report. 2011-11-25. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2012-01-14.
  7. 1 2 "Kiribati's Tong beats challengers to win third term". Radio New Zealand International. 2012-01-14. Retrieved 2012-01-13.
  8. ↑ "Results of the 2012 Presidential Election in Kiribati". Kiribati Online Community. 2012-01-14. Archived from the original on 2012-05-29. Retrieved 2012-01-15.
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