Elections in Colombia

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Elections in Colombia are run by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which also provides information on elections and results. Nationally, the president is elected as the head of state and the Congress, a two‑chamber legislature, is elected every four years. The Congress has 162 representatives in the Chamber and 102 senators in the Senate, both elected by proportional representation.

Colombia used to have a two‑party system dominated by the Liberal and Conservative parties, making it hard for other groups. Since the 1991 constitution, many more parties exist, and third parties have won most presidential elections in recent years.

There are corruption problems in elections, including fraud and bribery at local and national levels.

Presidents serve four‑year terms and are elected with a two‑round system: if no candidate wins a majority in the first round, the top two face off in a runoff. The vice president is elected on the same ticket. Presidents can only serve one term. To be a candidate, a person must be a Colombian citizen by birth or naturalization and be at least 30 years old.

Voting rights go to citizens by birth or naturalization who are 18 or older. Some situations can remove voting rights under the constitution. People in detention centers can vote from designated locations chosen by the National Civil Registry. Registering for the civil registry is not automatic; voters must register at a regional registry office.

Legislative Act No. 2 of 2015 gives the presidential runner‑up a seat in the Senate, and their vice presidential candidate a seat in the Chamber of Representatives.

Presidential and parliamentary elections are held every four years.