Elections in Senegal

The Directorate General of Elections (DGE) organizes national and local elections and referendums. The permanent Autonomous National Electoral Commission (CENA) supervises the process from voter-list registration through provisional results, while the Constitutional Council reviews presidential and legislative candidacies, acts as the national election judge and proclaims final results. The National Vote Counting Commission (CNRV) and departmental and regional commissions aggregate results before final review. Presidential elections use direct voting and an absolute-majority system. If no candidate receives more than half of the valid votes, the two leading candidates contest a second round, normally on the second Sunday after the Constitutional Council confirms the first-round result. The presidential term lasts five years, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. A presidential candidate must be exclusively Senegalese, hold civil and political rights, be 35 to 75 years old on election day, and read and write the official language fluently. Candidates submit their files to the Constitutional Council 60 to 75 clear days before the first round and meet sponsorship requirements set by the election-specific decree or order. The National Assembly has 165 members elected for five years. Senegalese citizens living abroad also vote. Under the 2024 electoral guide, 112 seats use a one-round majority system—97 for constituencies inside Senegal and 15 for constituencies abroad—and 53 seats use national-list proportional representation. The proportional seats are allocated using a national quotient and the largest remainder. Legislative lists must satisfy gender parity and include the required civil-status, criminal-record and deposit documents. Local and territorial elections follow their own electoral rules, and the latest official reference in the research record is the 2022 departmental and municipal election. Senegal uses a permanent biometric electoral register. Administrative commissions operate in each municipality and at diplomatic or consular missions. Registration or changes can concern the electoral district, address, civil or military status and removal from the register. The ordinary revision most recently documented ran from 1 February to 31 July 2025. The DGE provides an online voter-register consultation service. For registered voters, the ECOWAS biometric identity card also serves as the voter card and shows the voter number, administrative area, commune, polling place and National Identification Number (NIN). A new registration generally requires being at least 18, an ECOWAS biometric identity card and proof of connection to the relevant locality; voters abroad may also need a consular card or work certificate. At a standard polling station, the president, an assessor, a secretary and representatives of the lists manage the vote. Opening is normally at 8:00 after staff arrive at 7:00, and closing is normally at 18:00, although a prefect or sub-prefect may extend voting. Diplomatic and consular missions set overseas times according to local conditions. The voter must appear on the attendance list and present the original ECOWAS biometric identity card showing the electoral information; a legalized copy is not sufficient. There is no proxy voting. The voter receives one envelope and at least five ballot papers where five or more candidates or lists stand, enters the voting booth, places one ballot in the envelope, deposits it in the sealed ballot box, receives indelible ink and signs or leaves a fingerprint. Voters with disabilities receive priority and may use an accessible polling station in the same polling place or assistance from a voter they choose or a polling-station member. Statutory categories such as polling staff, CENA staff, certain officials, journalists, drivers and military or paramilitary personnel may vote outside their original polling station when the legal conditions and mission documents are met. Campaign material may not be distributed and electioneering or disruptive discussion is not allowed inside the polling station on election day. Counting begins immediately after voting and takes place publicly with four counting officers. Ballots can be rejected for reasons such as multiple different list ballots, an identifiable mark, a missing or irregular envelope or a non-compliant ballot; identical duplicate ballots count as one vote. Results are read aloud and displayed at the polling station. The record of proceedings includes observations, complaints and decisions, and all polling-station members sign it. Originals and supporting documents travel to the departmental commission under supervised transport, while copies go to list representatives, CENA and the relevant prefect or consulate. Presidential candidates may challenge provisional results within 72 hours, and the Constitutional Council rules within five days; an annulment leads to a new round within 21 days. A legislative candidate has five days to challenge provisional results, after which mandates become final if no challenge is filed. The official record reports 7,371,890 registered voters and 61.30% participation in the presidential election of 24 March 2024. The legislative election of 17 November 2024 had 7,371,891 registered voters and 49.51% participation. No official voter-registration or voting fee is established, although identity-document replacement may cost money; a lost ECOWAS identity card requires a loss certificate and a 10,000 CFA franc fiscal stamp. Candidate deposits depend on the election. After a presidential election, the President appoints the Prime Minister, who proposes ministers; the Prime Minister presents a general policy declaration to the National Assembly, where a confidence vote is optional and requires an absolute majority if held.