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List of general elections in Botswana

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Botswana is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. Since its independence from the United Kingdom as Bechuanaland on September 30, 1966, Botswana has been a parliamentary republic with a dominant party, namely the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), previously called the Bechuanaland Democratic Party. The first president to govern Botswana was Sir Seretse Khama. The country has had 13 formal general elections since 1961, with one happening every five years. The 2024 election is expected to happen in October. Each president is limited to two five-year terms; Quett Masire, the second president, created Botswana’s term limit in 1997. The country first adopted universal franchise during the 1965 Bechuanaland general election.

Diagram of Botswana’s parliament
Botswana’s parliament as of April 2024.

Every election has been won by the BDP. However, recent elections have shown that support for the BDP is declining. Opinion polls in 2022 conducted by Afrobarometer showed that 29.4% of people surveyed would vote for a main opposition party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), if elections were held the next day, compared to the BDP’s 22.3%, showing signs of instability towards Botswana’s dominant party system.

The president of Botswana is selected after the general election. For this process, the presidential candidate from the political party that wins a majority of the seats is sworn in as president.

Summary

The table below excludes European Advisory Council elections as members were elected by European residents, not citizens of the Protectorate themselves. During these elections, Bechuanaland citizens also did not get to participate in the British Administration.

List of general elections in Botswana
Election Winner Runner-up Seats won by
other candidates 		Total seats Voter turnout Reference(s)
Party Seats won Party Seats won
1961 BPFP n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
1965 BDP 28 BPP 3 0 31 74.55%
1969 BDP 24 BNF 3 4 31 54.7%
1974 BDP 27 BNF 2 3 32 31.2%
1979 BDP 29 BNF 2 1 32 58.4%
1984 BDP 29 BNF 4 1 34 77.6%
1989 BDP 31 BNF 3 0 34 68.2%
1994 BDP 27 BNF 13 0 40 76.6%
1999 BDP 33 BNF 6 1 40 77.11%
2004 BDP 44 BNF 12 1 57 76.2%
2009 BDP 45 BNF 6 6 57 76.71%
2014 BDP 37 UDC 17 3 57 84.75%
2019 BDP 38 UDC 15 4 57 84.1%
2024 Election to be held on 30 October 2024. 61
  1. There were 57 elected members and 8 appointed members in the parliament.
  2. A new constitution in 1960 created a Legislative Council, an Executive Council, and an Advisory African Council. The Legislative Council had just over 30 members; 10 colonial officials, 10 blacks, 10 whites, one Asian and some co-opted members. Seretse Khama received the most votes in the election for the black representatives.
  3. Bechuanaland Protectorate Federal Party
  4. Botswana Democratic Party
  5. Botswana’s People Party
  6. Botswana National Front
  7. Umbrella for Democratic Change
  • Electoral maps of Botswana general elections
  • 1965 Bechuanaland general election results by constituency 1965 Bechuanaland general election results by constituency
  • 1969 Botswana general election results by constituency 1969 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1974 Botswana general election results by constituency 1974 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1979 Botswana general election results by constituency 1979 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1984 Botswana general election results by constituency 1984 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1989 Botswana general election results by constituency 1989 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1994 Botswana general election results by constituency 1994 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 1999 Botswana general election results by constituency 1999 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2004 Botswana general election results by constituency 2004 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2009 Botswana general election results by constituency 2009 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2014 Botswana general election results by constituency 2014 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2019 Botswana general election results by constituency 2019 Botswana general election results by constituency
  • 2024 Botswana general election constituency map 2024 Botswana general election constituency map

References

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