Bolivia

Unitary and presidential republic. According to the Constitution of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, the country adopts a participatory, representative, and communitarian democratic form of government, guaranteeing equal conditions for men and women.

Bolivia is territorially organized into 9 departments, 112 provinces, 342 municipalities, and 1 Indigenous Originary Peasant Territory. All territorial entities have autonomy and structure their public power through Legislative and Executive branches. Autonomous governments are based on the principles of independence, separation, coordination, and cooperation. Their form of government is democratic, participatory, representative, communitarian, and ensures gender equity.

The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is bicameral, composed of the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Senators. The Chamber of Deputies has 130 members: half are elected from single-member constituencies and half from departmental multi-member constituencies via party lists headed by presidential, vice-presidential, and senatorial candidates. The Senate has 36 members, with each department electing 4 senators by universal, direct, and secret ballot.

Municipal government consists of a Municipal Council with deliberative, oversight, and legislative powers within its jurisdiction, and an Executive branch headed by the Mayor.

The terms for the President and Vice President are five years, with one consecutive re-election allowed. The same applies to members of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, municipal mayors, and members of autonomous governments’ councils and assemblies.

The President and Vice President are elected by universal, mandatory, direct, free, and secret suffrage. A ticket wins by obtaining over 50% of valid votes, or at least 40% with a lead of 10% over the runner-up. Mayors are elected by simple majority in separate votes from councilors, who are elected proportionally.

Closed and blocked lists in multi-member districts. Candidate lists for Senate, Chamber of Deputies, Departmental and Regional Assemblies, Municipal Councils, and other elective bodies must respect gender parity and alternate between men and women.

One national constituency (including voters abroad) for presidential and vice-presidential elections; nine departmental constituencies for the Senate; nine departmental multi-member constituencies for deputies; single-member constituencies for individual deputies (defined by law); special constituencies for Indigenous Originary Peasant deputies. Municipal constituencies are single-member for mayors and multi-member for councilors.

Yes. Law No. 026 (2010) mandates alternating male and female candidates on party lists for deliberative bodies. In single-member districts for departmental assemblies, at least 50% of candidates must be women. Reserved seats for Indigenous Peoples in assemblies and municipal councils must also have at least 50% women candidates.

Constitution of the Plurinational State of Bolivia; Law No. 026 on the Electoral Regime; Framework Law on Autonomies and Decentralization.

The Plurinational Electoral Body (Órgano Electoral Plurinacional, OEP) is one of the four branches of public power of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, with equal constitutional status to the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches. The OEP enjoys functional autonomy and independence from other branches of the State, with which it maintains relations, cooperation, and coordination based on the principles of independence and separation of powers to ensure the proper exercise of its powers and responsibilities (Arts. 2 and 4 of Law No. 018 of the Electoral Body). The OEP is composed of: the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the Departmental Electoral Tribunals, the Electoral Courts, the Voting Table Juries, and the Electoral Notaries. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal is the highest level and authority of the OEP, with jurisdiction and competence throughout the territory of the Plurinational State and in electoral districts located abroad.