Landshagir - 01.11.2012, Qupperneq 423

Elections
LANDSHAGIR 2012 STATISTICAL YEARBOOK OF ICELAND 2012
22
423
Following each election to the Icelandic
legislative assembly, the Althingi, elec-
tions to local councils and the Presidency
of Iceland, Statistics Iceland publishes an
election report giving an account of the
voters and their participation in the elec-
tion, candidacies, election results and the
representatives elected.
Participation of voters in presidential
election 69.3%
A presidential election was held in Iceland
30 June 2012. The total number of voters
on the electoral roll was 235,743 or 73.8%
of the total population. Participation of
voters in the election was 163,294 or 69.3%.
Participation of male voters was 65.8% and
female voters 72.7%. The participation in
previous presidential elections was highest
in 1968, 92.2% but lowest in 2004, 62.9%.
The number of absentee votes was unusu-
ally high in the presidential election now,
38,140 votes or 23.4% of votes cast.
Six candidates took part in the election.
Valid votes were 159,207. Andrea Jóhanna
Ólafsdóttir, Ari Trausti Guðmunds-
son, Hannes Bjarnason, Herdís Þorgeirs-
dóttir, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson and Þóra
Arnórsdóttir. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
received 84,036 votes or 52.8% of valid
votes and was thus re-elected President of
Iceland for the period from 1 August 2012
until 31 July 2016.
Participation of voters in general
elections 85.1%
General elections to the Icelandic parlia-
ment, Althingi, were held 25 April 2009.
The total number of voters on the elec-
toral roll was 227,843 or 71.4% of the total
population. Participation of voters in the
general elections was 85.1%. Participation
of female voters was 85.8% compared with
84.5% male voters. A total of seven politi-
cal organisations offered candidate lists in
the elections in all the constituencies. The
proportion of elected female members was
42.9%, the highest so far.
Proportion of elected female members
the highest so far
Local government elections took place on
29 May 2010. At that time the total number
of municipalities was 76. The number of
voters on the electoral roll in the 2010
elections was 225,855, corresponding to
71% of the population. Participation in
the election was 73.5%. There were 2,846
candidates on the 185 lists, 1,513 men
(53.2%) and 1,333 women (46.8%). All lists
were comprised of both men and women.
Women outnumbered men on 34 lists while
men outnumbered women on 95 lists. The
number of men and women was equal
on 56 lists. A total of 512 representatives
were elected to a total of 76 local councils
in 2010, 308 men (60.2%) and 204 women
(39.8%). The proportion of women in local
governments has never been higher.
59.8% said “no” in the referendum 2011
A referendum was held in Iceland 9 April
2011. The referendum was to conclude if
Act No. 13/2011 should remain in force or
become void. The total number of voters
on the electoral roll was 232,460 or 72.9%
of the total population. Participation of
voters in the referendum was 175,114 or
75.3%. Participation of male voters was
75.4% and 75.3% of female voters. The
majority voted “no” or 103,207 and 69,462
voted “yes”. Thus Act No. 13/2011 became
void by 59.8% of valid votes.