At Stake in this Election: 

• The Presidency of Sri Lanka 

Government Structure:  

• Chief of State: President Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 20 July 2022) 

• Head of Government: President Ranil WICKREMESINGHE (since 20 July 2022) 

• Assembly: unicameral Parliament with 225 seats 

Electoral System:  

• The President is directly elected by preferential majority vote in up to two rounds. The President may serve up to two 5-year terms. 

• In Parliament, 196 members are directly elected by preferential proportional representation vote from multi-member constituencies. An additional 29 members are selected by parties according to the proportion of the national vote they have won. All 225 members serve 5-year terms. 

Last Election: 

In 2019, Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA (SLPP) won the presidency with 52% of the vote. Voter turnout was 84%. 

Information for Voters: 

FAQ for Voters (in English, Sinhala, and Tamil) 

New/Unique in this Election:  

This will be the first election held in Sri Lanka since former President Gotabaya RAJAPAKSA resigned in July 2022 following nationwide protests. Current President Ranil WICKREMESINGHE was indirectly elected by Parliament on 20 July 2022 to complete the presidential term. 

Key Deadlines: 

• Candidate filing deadline: 14 August 2024 

• Voter registration deadline: N/A; voter registration is passive 

Candidates in this Election: 

• Ranil WICKREMESINGHE 

• Incumbent 

• Akmeemana Dayarathana THERO 

• Abubakar Mohammad INFAS 

• Siripala AMARASINGHE 

• Idroos Mohammad ILLIYAS 

• This candidate died after the nomination period, but his name has not been removed from the ballot. 

• K. K. PIYADASA 

• Sarath KEERTHIRATHNE 

• K. A. KULARATNE 

• K. R. KRISHAN 

• Pallimulla Kapugamage Anura Sydney JAYARATNE 

• Dilith JAYAWEERA 

• Sirithunga JAYASURIYA 

• Mailwanagam THILAKARAJAH 

• Angampodi Prasanga Suranjeewa Anoj  DE SILVA 

• Lalith DE SILVA 

• Ajantha DE SOYZA 

• Anura Kumara DISSANAYAKA 

• Mahinda DEWAGA 

• Ariyanetththiran PAIKAYASELVAN 

• Victor PERERA 

• Anuruddha POLGAMPOLA 

• Sajith PREMADASA 

• Sarathe FONSEKA 

• Dissanayake Mudiyanselage BANDARANAIKE 

• Sarath BANDARANAIKE 

• Battaramulle Seelaratana THERO 

• Nuwan BOPAGE 

• Sarath MANAMENDRA 

• Pemasiri MANAGE 

• Anuruddha Roshan RANASINGHE 

• Janaka RATNAYAKE 

• Namal RAJAPAKSA 

• Namal RAJAPAKSHA 

• Wijayadasa RAJAPAKSHE 

• A.S.P. LIYANAGE 

• Keerthi WICKRAMARATHNE 

• Priyantha WICKEREMASINGHA 

• Pani WIJESIRIWARDANE 

• Oshala HERATH 

Population and Registered Voters: 

• Population: 22,037,000 (2023 est.) 

• Registered Voters: 17,140,354 

Gender Data: 

• Female Population: 11,428,450 (2023 est.) 

• CEDAW Status: Signed 17 July 1980, Ratified 5 October 1981  

• Gender Quota: No 

• Female Candidates in this election: No 

• Number of Female Legislators (pre-election): 12 out of 225 (5%) in the Parliament 

• Human Development Index (HDI) Position: 0.780, High, Rank 78 (2022) 

• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: 53.4 (2023) 

Disability Data: 

• CRPD Status: Signed 30 March 2007, Ratified 8 February 2016 

• Projected population with a disability: 3,525,920 (2023 est.) 

IFES Resources: 

• Election FAQs: Yes

• Does IFES have a presence in Sri Lanka: Yes, office 

• Election Access: Yes 

• ElectionJudgments: Yes, 11 judgments