Elections in Argentina
Encyclopedia
This articles gives information on voting
, election
s and election results in Argentina
. For details about government institutions and political parties, see Politics of Argentina
.
On the national level, Argentina elects a head of state
(the President
) and a legislature
. Voting is mandatory for citizens between 18 and 70 years of age, with some exceptions.
The President and the Vice-President are elected in one ballot, for a four-year term, by direct popular vote, using a runoff voting
system: there must be a second round if no formula gets more than 45% of the affirmative valid votes, or more than 40% of the affirmative valid votes with a difference of 10 percentage points from the second formula, in quantity of affirmative valid votes. Before the 1995 election, the President and Vice-President were both elected by an electoral college
.
The National Congress
(Congreso Nacional) has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies of the Nation
(Cámara de Diputados de la Nación) has 257 members, elected for a four-year term in each electoral district (23 Provinces
and the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires) by proportional representation
using the D'Hondt method
, with half of the seats renewed every two years in all districts. The Senate of the Nation
(Senado de la Nación) has 72 members, elected for a six-year term in three-seat constituencies (23 provinces and the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires) for a six year term, with two seats awarded to the largest party or coalition and one seat to the second largest party or coalition. One-third of the constituencies are renewed every two years. In 2001
the whole senate was renewed.
Voting
Voting is a method for a group such as a meeting or an electorate to make a decision or express an opinion—often following discussions, debates, or election campaigns. It is often found in democracies and republics.- Reasons for voting :...
, election
Election
An election is a formal decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold public office. Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates since the 17th century. Elections may fill offices in the legislature, sometimes in the...
s and election results in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. For details about government institutions and political parties, see Politics of Argentina
Politics of Argentina
The politics of Argentina take place in the framework of what the Constitution defines as a federal presidential representative democratic Republic, where the President of Argentina is both Head of State and Head of Government. Legislative power is vested in both the President and the two chambers...
.
On the national level, Argentina elects a head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
(the President
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
) and a legislature
Legislature
A legislature is a kind of deliberative assembly with the power to pass, amend, and repeal laws. The law created by a legislature is called legislation or statutory law. In addition to enacting laws, legislatures usually have exclusive authority to raise or lower taxes and adopt the budget and...
. Voting is mandatory for citizens between 18 and 70 years of age, with some exceptions.
The President and the Vice-President are elected in one ballot, for a four-year term, by direct popular vote, using a runoff voting
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
system: there must be a second round if no formula gets more than 45% of the affirmative valid votes, or more than 40% of the affirmative valid votes with a difference of 10 percentage points from the second formula, in quantity of affirmative valid votes. Before the 1995 election, the President and Vice-President were both elected by an electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
.
The National Congress
Argentine National Congress
The Congress of the Argentine Nation is the legislative branch of the government of Argentina. Its composition is bicameral, constituted by a 72-seat Senate and a 257-seat Chamber of Deputies....
(Congreso Nacional) has two chambers. The Chamber of Deputies of the Nation
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
(Cámara de Diputados de la Nación) has 257 members, elected for a four-year term in each electoral district (23 Provinces
Provinces of Argentina
Argentina is subdivided into twenty-three provinces and one autonomous city...
and the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires) by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
using the D'Hondt method
D'Hondt method
The d'Hondt method is a highest averages method for allocating seats in party-list proportional representation. The method described is named after Belgian mathematician Victor D'Hondt who described it in 1878...
, with half of the seats renewed every two years in all districts. The Senate of the Nation
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
(Senado de la Nación) has 72 members, elected for a six-year term in three-seat constituencies (23 provinces and the Autonomous city of Buenos Aires) for a six year term, with two seats awarded to the largest party or coalition and one seat to the second largest party or coalition. One-third of the constituencies are renewed every two years. In 2001
Argentine legislative election, 2001
Argentina held national parliamentary elections on Sunday, 14 October 2001. Turnout was 75.6% and the results were as follows:-Chamber of Deputies:-Senate:-Background:...
the whole senate was renewed.