IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

8,605,720
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2022)

3,374,258
Registered Voters (as of Dec. 24, 2022)

80.28%
Average Turnout

12
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.440
Regimes of the World Classification: Electoral Autocracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: Sept. 21, 1988
Ratified Date: Nov. 11, 1988

SIGI* Score: 47.8
Level of Discrimination: High
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: March 30, 2007
Ratified Date: Oct. 4, 2010

HDI* Score: 0.467
Category: Low
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Sierra Leonean Presidency	None	Head of State & Government
Sierra Leonean Parliament		Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Julius Maada BIO (since 4 April 2018)
Head of Government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 4 April 2018)
Assembly: unicameral Parliament with 146 seats

Description of electoral system:

The President is directly elected by absolute majority vote in up to two rounds. The President may serve up to two 5-year terms.
In Parliament, 132 members are directly elected by proportional representation vote in 16 multi-seat constituencies (districts). The remaining 14 members are indirectly elected from among the Paramount Chiefs of Sierra Leone.
- Paramount Chiefs are non-partisan local leaders indirectly elected from among certain families (ruling houses) by Chiefdom Councillors.

Elections

2023-06-24 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 2,801,176
Registered 3,374,258
Turnout 83.02

2023-06-24 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Parliament
Votes 2,795,864
Registered 3,374,258
Turnout 82.86

2018-03-31 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 2,578,271
Registered 3,178,663
Turnout 81.11

2018-03-07 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Parliament
Votes 2,676,549
Registered 3,178,663
Turnout 84.2

2018-03-07 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 2,676,549
Registered 3,178,663
Turnout 84.2

2012-11-17 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Parliament
Votes 2,141,062
Registered 2,692,635
Turnout 79.52

2012-11-17 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 2,350,626
Registered 2,692,635
Turnout 87.3

2007-09-08 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 1,783,851
Registered 2,600,000
Turnout 68.61

2007-08-11 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Parliament
Votes 1,783,851
Registered 2,600,000
Turnout 68.61

2007-08-11 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 1,984,106
Registered 2,600,000
Turnout 76.31

2002-05-14 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Parliament
Votes 1,962,493
Registered 2,276,518
Turnout 86.21

2002-05-14 | Status: Held
Sierra Leonean Presidency
Votes 1,907,455
Registered 2,342,547
Turnout 81.43

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2023-06-24	Held	2,801,176	3,374,258	83.02
Sierra Leonean Parliament	2023-06-24	Held	2,795,864	3,374,258	82.86
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2018-03-31	Held	2,578,271	3,178,663	81.11
Sierra Leonean Parliament	2018-03-07	Held	2,676,549	3,178,663	84.2
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2018-03-07	Held	2,676,549	3,178,663	84.2
Sierra Leonean Parliament	2012-11-17	Held	2,141,062	2,692,635	79.52
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2012-11-17	Held	2,350,626	2,692,635	87.3
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2007-09-08	Held	1,783,851	2,600,000	68.61
Sierra Leonean Parliament	2007-08-11	Held	1,783,851	2,600,000	68.61
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2007-08-11	Held	1,984,106	2,600,000	76.31
Sierra Leonean Parliament	2002-05-14	Held	1,962,493	2,276,518	86.21
Sierra Leonean Presidency	2002-05-14	Held	1,907,455	2,342,547	81.43

Voter Turnout

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