2013 Bhutanese National Council election

National Council elections were held in Bhutan on 23 April 2013.[1] All candidates ran as independents, as National Council members were prohibited from belonging to a political party.[2]

Electoral system

The 20 members of the National Council were elected in single-member constituencies equivalent to the country's twenty Dzongkhags. A further five members were appointed by the Druk Gyalpo.[2]

Candidates had to register by 31 March, whilst the campaigning period lasted from 1 to 21 April.[1] A total of 67 candidates registered to run in the election, although the Dagana and Trashigang dzongkhags had only one candidate each.[3] In those dzongkhags voters were given the choice of voting against the only candidate.[4]

Election day was a public holiday, and the country's borders were closed for the day.[5]

Results

Dzongkhag	Candidate	Votes	%	Notes
Bumthang	Nima	2,264	48.41	Elected
	Sonam Tenzin	971	20.76
	Rinchen Phuntsho	951	20.33
	Tshewang Jurmi	491	10.50
Chukha	Pema Tenzin	6,995	65.53	Elected
	Tshewang Lhamo	3,680	34.47
Dagana	Sonam Dorji	7,989	81.83	Elected
	Against	1,774	18.17
Gasa	Sangay Khandu	603	44.60	Elected
	Tenzin	407	30.10
	Yeshey Dorji	342	25.30
Haa	Tshering Dorji	1,866	51.68	Elected
	Khandu Wangchuk	634	17.56
	Choda Jamtsho	631	17.47
	Tenzin Norbu	480	13.29
Lhuntse	Tempa Dorji	3,193	60.08	Elected
	Rinzin Rinzin	2,122	39.92
Mongar	Sonam Wangchuk	4,821	38.13	Elected
	Naichu	4,484	35.47
	Tshering Wangchen	3,338	26.40
Paro	Kaka Tshering	2,422	23.73	Elected
	Kinley Dorji	2,075	20.33
	Ugyen Tshering	2,071	20.29
	Sonam Wangchuk	2,056	20.14
	Tshewang Norbu	1,583	15.51
Pemagatshel	Jigmi Rinzin	5,184	57.78	Elected
	Pema Wangchuk	2,103	23.44
	Sherab Jamtsho	1,685	18.78
Punakha	Rinzin Dorji	3,449	55.51	Elected
	Namgay Dorji	2,764	44.49
Samdrup Jongkhar	Jigme Wangchuk	5,213	55.28	Re-elected
	Kinga Dorji	2,434	25.81
	Sangay Lhendup	1,784	18.92
Samtse	Sangay Khandu	9,907	48.56	Elected
	Dhan Kumar Ghalley	4,595	22.52
	Chungdu Tshering	1,944	9.53
	Chhatrapati Phuyel	1,363	6.68
	Ganesh Ghimiray	912	4.47
	Kharananda Dhakal	906	4.44
	Narayan Dahal	775	3.80
Sarpang	Dhan Bdr. Monger	4,131	32.89	Elected
	Sonam Doekar	3,855	30.69
	Rangu Pati Suberi	1,674	13.33
	Anand Rai	1,488	11.85
	Dhan Kumar Basnet	1,412	11.24
Thimphu	Nima Gyeltshen	2,250	41.78	Elected
	Tshering	1,624	30.16
	Tshering Tashi	1,511	28.06
Trashigang	Sonam Kinga	11,229	81.20	Re-elected
	Against	2,600	18.80
Trashiyangtse	Tashi Phuntsho	3,226	58.51	Elected
	Karma Gyeltshen	2,288	41.49
Trongsa	Tharchen	2,083	47.15	Elected
	Tashi Samdrup	1,629	36.87
	Jagar Dorji	706	15.98
Tsirang	Kamal Bahadur Gurung	2,381	24.40	Elected
	Passang Thingh Tamang	2,011	20.61
	Shyam Basnet	1,920	19.68
	Novin Darlami	1,664	17.05
	Sangay Tamang	1,305	13.37
	Justin Gurung	477	4.89
Wangdue Phodrang	Tashi Dorji	5,848	57.84	Elected
	Sonam Yangchen	3,540	35.01
	Chado Namgyal	723	7.15
Zhemgang	Pema Dakpa	2,413	35.92	Elected
	Yeshi Tshomo	1,219	18.15
	Dorji Kadin	1,209	18.00
	Ugyen Chophel	968	14.41
	Pema Lhamo	909	13.53
Total		171,544	100
Registered voters/turnout		379,819	45.16
Source: Election Commission of Bhutan[4][6]

Aftermath

Following the election Druk Gyalpo Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck appointed Dasho Karma Yezer Raydi, Kuenlay Tshering, Karma Damcho Nidup, Tashi Wangmo and Tashi Wangyal to the Council.[7]

References

1. NC elections in April 2013 BBS
2. Country Profile IFES
3. NC Candidates Archived 2015-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Election Commission of Bhutan
4. National Council Result 2013 Archived 2013-05-14 at the Wayback Machine Election Commission of Bhutan
5. Bhutanese go to the polls in vote to elect new parliament China Post, 24 April 2013
6. Notification Archived 2013-05-14 at the Wayback Machine Election Commission of Bhutan
7. His Majesty re-nominates former five eminent persons BBS News, 8 May 2013