Landshagir - 01.12.2015, Page 71

Elections
LANDSHAGIR 2015 STATISTICAL YEARBOOK OF ICELAND 2015
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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 last 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 81.5%
General elections to the Icelandic parlia-
ment, Althingi, were held 27 April 2013.
The total number of voters on the elec-
toral roll was 237,807 or 73.6% of the total
population. Participation of voters in the
general elections was 81.5%. Participation
of female voters was 81.9% compared with
81.1% male voters. Eleven political organi-
sations offered candidate lists in the elec-
tions in all the constituencies. A total of 63
members were elected to Althingi, 38 men
(60%) and 25 women (40%).
Proportion of elected female members
the highest so far
Local government elections took place on
31 May 2014. At that time the total number
of municipalities was 74. The number of
voters on the electoral roll in the 2014
elections was 239,734. Participation in the
election was 66.5% the lowest so far. There
were 2,916 candidates in municipalities
where proportional vote took place, 1,532
men (52.5%) and 1,384 women (47.5%). A
total of 504 representatives were elected
to a total of 74 local councils in 2014, 282
men (56.0%) and 222 women (44.0%). The
proportion of women in local governments
has never been higher.
Referendum 20 October 2012
The total number of voters on the elec-
toral roll was 236,850 or 73.9% of the total
population. Participation of voters in the
referendum was 115,890 or 48.9%. Partici-
pation of male voters was 49.9% and 47.9%
of female voters. In the last referendum on
9 April 2011 the participation was 75.3%.
In the referendum 2012 the number of
valid votes was 114,570; blank ballots 661
and void ballots were 659.
The results of the referendum for the whole
country were different for the six ques-
tions but the answer on the majority of
valid ballots was yes for each question.