2015 Colombian regional and municipal elections

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Regional and municipal elections were held on Sunday, 25 October 2015 in Colombia to elect the governors of the 32 departments, deputies to departmental assemblies, mayors of 1,102 municipalities, municipal councillors and aldermen on local administrative boards (Juntas Administrativas Locales, JAL).

Electoral systems[edit]

The governors of Colombia's 32 departments are elected to a single four-year term by first-past-the-post. The governor is considered the head of the local administration, but also the president's agent in the department to maintain public order and implement national policies.[1] Each department has a departmental assembly (asamblea departamental), with between 11 and 31 members depending on the department's population,[2] whose members are elected using the same electoral system as that used for congressional elections - namely, optional open party-list proportional representation with the threshold being equal to half of the electoral quotient. Political parties choose whether their lists are 'preferential' (open) or 'non-preferential' (closed). Candidates on the party's open list are reordered based on the results, although votes cast only for the party rather than a candidate only count for purposes of seat allocation between parties.

The mayors of Colombia's 1,102 municipalities are elected to single four-year term by first-past-the-post. The mayor is the head of the local administrative and the legal representative of the municipality.[3] Each municipality has a municipal council (consejo municipal) made up of 7 to 21 members depending on the municipality's population. Municipal councillors are elected using the same electoral system used for departmental assemblies.[4]

Municipalities may be further subdivide themselves into comunas (in urban areas) and corregimientos municipales (in rural areas) which are administered by a local administrative board (Juntas Administrativas Locales, JAL).

Bogotá, the capital, has a special constitutional status as Capital District. Despite being the capital of Cundinamarca department, the government of Cundinamarca has no authority over Bogotá's territory and the city's inhabitants do not vote for the governor of Cundinamarca. While Bogotá is counted as a municipality, it has the powers of both departments and municipalities. The capital is administered by a directly elected Superior Mayor (Alcalde mayor) and has a 45-member council, both serving four-year terms. Bogotá is subdivided into 20 localities (localidades) each with their own JAL of at least 7 members and a local mayor appointed by the superior mayor from a list submitted by the JAL.[5]

Mayors and governors may not serve consecutive terms, but may be reelected to non-consecutive terms. Members of assemblies, councils and local administrative boards have no term limits.

Mayoral elections[edit]

Bogotá[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Enrique PeñalosaRecuperemos Bogotá–CR–Conservative906,05833.18
Rafael PardoLiberal–Party of the U778,76428.52
Clara López ObregónPolo–UP–MAIS499,59818.30
Francisco Santos CalderónDemocratic Center327,59812.00
Ricardo Arias MoraLibres90,2883.31
Daniel RaisbeckLibertarian Movement20,2330.74
Alexandre VernotPeople, Land and Fire Movement7,3060.27
WithdrawnGreen Alliance9600.04
WithdrawnProgressive Movement6330.02
Blank votes99,1343.63
Total2,730,572100.00
Valid votes2,730,57297.14
Invalid votes80,2602.86
Total votes2,810,832100.00
Registered voters/turnout5,453,08651.55
Source: RNEC

Medellín (Antioquia)[edit]

Candidates[edit]

  • Federico Gutiérrez: former Medellín municipal councillor (2004–2011)
  • Juan Carlos Vélez Uribe: former Senator (2010–2014)
  • Gabriel Jaime Rico: former Medellín municipal councillor (2001–2007)
  • Alonso Salazar: former Mayor of Medellín (2008–2011)
  • Eugenio Prieto Soto: former Senator (2010–2014), former caretaker Governor of Antioquia (2002–2003). Withdrew

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Federico GutiérrezMovimiento Creemos246,22135.81
Juan Carlos VélezDemocratic Center236,63234.42
Gabriel Jaime RicoGrand Alliance for Medellín (U–PCC–CR)111,79616.26
Alonso SalazarGreen Alliance–ASI37,2415.42
Hector Manuel Hoyos MenesesAlternative Democratic Pole8,9341.30
Eugenio Prieto Soto (withdrawn)Colombian Liberal Party1,6060.23
Blank votes45,0866.56
Total687,516100.00
Valid votes687,51693.37
Invalid votes48,8236.63
Total votes736,339100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,486,00449.55
Source: RNEC

Cali (Valle del Cauca)[edit]

Candidates[edit]

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Maurice ArmitageCreemos con Armitage265,23038.23
Roberto OrtizColombian Liberal Party176,35825.42
Angelino GarzónSocial Party of National Unity152,47121.98
Michel MayaGreen Alliance23,1533.34
Wilson AriasAlternative Democratic Pole17,5182.53
Carlos HolguínColombian Conservative Party15,7762.27
María Isabel UrrutiaIndigenous and Social Alternative Movement5,6210.81
María Isabel LarrarteIndigenous Authorities of Colombia2,3150.33
Blank votes35,2655.08
Total693,707100.00
Valid votes693,70794.86
Invalid votes37,6105.14
Total votes731,317100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,611,39145.38
Source: RNEC

Barranquilla (Atlántico)[edit]

Candidates[edit]

  • Alejandro Char: former Mayor of Barranquilla (2008–2011), former Governor of Atlántico (2003)
  • Rafael Sánchez Anillo: former Barranquilla municipal councillor (2012–2013)

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Alejandro CharRadical Change355,84473.29
Rafael Sánchez AnilloFirme Barranquilla, sí se puede86,79017.88
Blank votes42,8998.84
Total485,533100.00
Valid votes485,53387.92
Invalid votes66,68112.08
Total votes552,214100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,009,61854.70
Source: RNEC

Cartagena (Bolívar)[edit]

  • Population: 1,001,755 (2015 est.)
  • Incumbent mayor: Dionisio Vélez (Liberal–Green)

Candidates[edit]

  • Manuel Duque: journalist, radio personality
  • Antonio Quinto Guerra: former Cartagena municipal councillor (2003–2015)
  • Andrés Betancour: former Cartagena municipal councillor (2008–2015)
  • Gina Benedetti: former Ambassador of Colombia to Panama, former caretaker Mayor of Cartagena (1999–2000)

Results[edit]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Manuel DuquePrimero la Gente127,44037.53
Antonio Quinta GuerraColombian Conservative Party100,35829.55
Andrés BetancourCartagena Confirma48,54314.29
Gina BenedettiDemocratic Center22,0756.50
Reinaldo Rafael Manjarrez MuñozPatriotic Union4,2231.24
Fabio Yezid Castellanos HerreraGreen Alliance3,8421.13
Blank vote promoting committeeAlternative Democratic Pole3,5351.04
Rosario RomeroIndigenous Authorities of Colombia1,6330.48
Blank votes27,9628.23
Total339,611100.00
Valid votes339,61189.53
Invalid votes39,69710.47
Total votes379,308100.00
Registered voters/turnout722,00452.54
Source: RNEC

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Constitución Política de Colombia, 1991 (Artículo 303)". Secretaría General del Senado.
  2. ^ "Constitución Política de Colombia, 1991 (Artículo 299)". Secretaría General del Senado.
  3. ^ "Constitución Política de Colombia, 1991 (Artículo 314)". Secretaría General del Senado.
  4. ^ "Constitución Política de Colombia, 1991 (Artículo 312)". Secretaría General del Senado.
  5. ^ "Constitución Política de Colombia, 1991 (Artículo 323)". Secretaría General del Senado.
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