Media Advisory – Election Wrap-up voter Turnout and results

source: Republic of Botswana (23/10/09): TAUTONA TIMES no 26 of 2009
The Electronic Press Circular of the Office of the President
“Democracy, Development, Dignity and Discipline with Delivery”

C3) 22/10/09: Media Advisory – Election Wrap-up voter Turnout and results

Advisory 1 – Historic Voter Turnout

The 2009 general election produced the highest overall voter turnout ever recorded in Botswana. According to figures supplied by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) at least 544,031 valid votes were cast for Parliamentary candidates in the just concluded General Election, a substantial 23% increase over the previous highest turnout in 2004. The figure for valid votes excludes relatively small numbers of spoiled ballots and/or any voters who may have confined their selection to council candidates.

This year’s high turnout built on the foundation laid by this year’s record high registration of 723,617 voters. Voter turnout among registered voters on polling day was just over 75%.

The chart below reflects voter registration and turnout for all ten General Elections, with the 1965-2004 figures reflecting total voter turnout (i.e. also including spoiled ballots).

Year Registered Voters Voter Turnout % Voter Turnout
2009 723,617 544,031* 75.2%
2004 552,849 421,272 76.2%
1999 459,662 354,466 77.1%
1994 370,173 283,375 76.6%
1989 367,069 250,487 68.2%
1984 293,571 227,756 77.6%
1979 230,231 134,496 58.4%
1974 230,231 64,011 31.2%
1969 140,428 76,858 54.7%
1965 188,950 140,858 74.65

*Number of Valid Votes as reported by 22/10/09

Advisory 2 – Shifts in party support since 2004

Election results as posted by the IEC (22/10/09) suggest modest percentage shifts in overall support for various political parties since the previous, 2004 poll.

2009 & 2004 Parliamentary Election Results

Party Total Vote ‘09 Vote % ‘09 Seats '09 Total Vote ‘04 Vote % ‘04 Seats '04
BDP 290,099 53.3% 45 213,308 51.7% 44
BNF 119,509 21.9% 6 107,451 26.1% 12
BCP 104,302 19.2% 4 68,556 16.6% 1
BAM 12,387 2.3% 1 11,716 2.8% 0
BPP 7,554 1.4% 0 7,886 1.9% 0
MELS 292 0.0% 0 121 0.0% 0
Indep. 10,504 1.9% 1 3,341 0.8% 0

C4) 18/10/09 (updated 22/10/09): Election 2009 Parliamentary Results Advisory

Disclaimer - The following is based on figures supplied by I.E.C. as of 22/10/09:

1) 2009 Parliamentary Election Results – Summary

Party BDP BNF BCP BAM BPP MELS Independents
Total vote 290,099 119,509 104,302 12,387 7554 292 10,504
Total vote % 53.3% 21.9% 19.2% 2.3% 1.4% .0% 1.9%
Total number of seats 45 6 4 1 0 0 1

2) 2009 Parliamentary Election Results by constituency

Constituency/Party BDP BNF BCP/BAM BPP MELS Independents
1. Chobe 3057 121 3322
2. Palapye 5161 341 3781
3. Nata-Gweta 4118 2367
4. Ghanzi S. 4812 2926
5. Ghanzi N. 3105 1524 410 720
6. Serowe N.W. 5031 975
7. Serowe S. 7375 1609 670
8. Serowe N.E. 7376 878 800
9. Barolong 4987 2707 1346
10. Letlhakeng W. 3826 3792
11. Letlhakeng E. 3992 3967
12. Mogoditshane 3524 1865 2570 85 312; 28
13. Mahalapye E. 5178 2428 121
14. Mahalapye W. 6686 883 1734
15. Ngwaketse S. 6979 4925 894
16. Ngwaketse W 7283 7765 483
17. Molepolole S. 5589 1936
18. Molepolole N. 5595 4914 271
19. Kgatleng W. 5493 4817 2673 565
20. Kgatleng E. 5101 6768 3894
21. Selebi-Phikwe E. 3717 701 3170 134
22. Selebi-Phikwe W. 3328 1076 3997
23. Tonota S. 5617 2463 269
24. Tonota N. 5811 3067
25. Gaborone C. 2662 1118 6102
26. Gaborone N. 3741 1234 3498
27. Gaborone S. 2853 2361 1726
28. Gaborone W.N. 5814 3277 4227 49
29. Gaborone W.S. 4669 1414 2102 1110
30. Francistown E. 3698 3130 113
31. Francistown S. 4024 280 3546 289 26 56
32. Francistown W. 4188 334 2779 1059
33. Tati E. 5396 2353
34. Tati W. 4277 489 3471
35. Moshupa 6374 1291 1519 60;72
36. Nkange 6094 4618
37. Maun E. 6509 2548 2693 192
38. Maun W. 4685 685 2369
39. Kweneng S. 7683 5667
40. Kweneng E. 6018 1080 1507 132
41. Kweneng S.E. 5415 1758 3602
42. Kgalagadi S. 4451 4595
43. Kgalagadi N. 4866 4871
44. Kanye N. 7004 5601 309
45. Kanye S. 4716 5303 632
46. Boteti N. 4790 3748 459
47. Boteti S. 4354 1883 1531
48. Bobirwa 5899 5059
49. Mmadinare 6304 2543
50. Tswapong S 5483 750 4175
51. Tswapong N. 6049 288 1313
52. Ngami 6565 494 6836 219
53. Okavango 4309 6211
54. South E.S. 6804 762 5739 117
55. South E. N. 3807 3824 1475
56. Shoshong 4820 3203 579
57. Lobatse 4060 1018 474 4175;40