1,198,086 Mongolians Cast Their Votes

The long-awaited 2012 Parliamentary Election was carried out peacefully yesterday and Mongolian citizens eligible to vote cast their ballots from 7 am to 8 pm for the political parties and candidates through 1,908 election sub-committees. The day was announced as a public holiday and chosen midweek. Furthermore, the government issued a resolution to prohibit alcoholic beverage sales in the Mongolia on June 28th and 29th. 

Around 9 pm on Thursday the 28th of June, the Election Commission announced preliminary results for the election. According to the announcement, 1,198,086 people or 65.24 percent of the total population eligible to vote, voted in the election. 

This year’s election is running differently from previous ones: using an Automated Election System; admitting votes from Mongolians residing abroad; organizing the Parliamentary and Citizens’ Representatives Council Elections on same day, and has also re-introduced a quota to have women candidates be no less than 20% of Parliament.

A total of 11 parties and two coalitions are running in the 2012 Parliamentary Elections, whereas nine parties and two coalitions are contending in the 2012 Citizen’s Representatives Council Elections. Out of the 544 candidates in the Parliamentary Elections, 354 are running in 26 electoral districts by Majority System and 190 are contending within their Party List by the Proportional System. Also, out of all the candidates, 174 are women and 26 are independent candidates. 

Out of the 76 seats of the State Great Khural, 48 candidates will be elected by the Majority System from 26 electoral districts. 

The other 28 candidates for Parliament will be elected through Party List by the Proportional System. A summary number of votes will be produced for each party or coalition, for the party or coalition that receives no less than 5% of the total votes which will be listed in a descending order. If a party or coalition does not overcome the 5% threshold, the votes shall be evenly divided and added to another party or coalition’s votes which are included in the list. Thus, 28 candidates will be elected according to the votes received by party or coalition that overcome the threshold, in other words by Party List or Proportional System. 

Out of 45 seats of the Ulaanbaatar City Citizens’ Representatives Council, 30 shall be elected by the Majority System from electoral districts, whereas the other 15 seats shall be elected by the Proportional System from Party List. 

According to the General Authority for State Registration of Mongolia, a total of 1,833,478 eligible citizens are registered in the voters’ list in 26 electoral districts nationwide. Out of these, 804,470 citizens were expected to be voting in the six electoral districts of Ulaanbaatar city, whereas 1,029,008 citizens were expected to vote in the 20 electoral districts in the rural areas. 

A total of 2,370 policemen worked in the election sub-committees nationwide to keep peace and discipline.