Electoral system for the president

Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia (1997)

Article 48
The poll on an Election

48.3 No person shall be elected as President on a first ballot unless the votes cast in his or her favour at the election are more than fifty per cent of the total number of votes validly cast at that election.

48.4 If, on a first ballot, there was only one candidate and he or she fails to obtain the percentage of the votes validly cast as specified in subsection (3), new nomination and election days shall be appointed, if, at the close of nominations for a second ballot,

1. there is only one candidate nominated, he or she shall be declared to have been duly elected President,
2. there are more than one candidate nominated, a second ballot shall be held.

48.5 If, on the first ballot, there were two or more candidates, a second ballot shall be held within fourteen days between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes validly cast at the first ballot. In the event that more than two candidates received equally the highest number or second highest number of votes, all of them shall participate in the second ballot.

48.6 On a second ballot, the candidate, who receives the highest number of votes shall be declared to have been duly elected President.