Election: Gambians Will Return to the Polls in December 2026

ElectionPresidential ElectionsLocal GovernmentNational AssemblyIECPolitics
Written By Askanwi Gambia

Ballot Drums for 2021 Presidential Elections © IEC

By Edward Francis Dalliah

Gambians are to vote for a new president on December 5, 2026, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chairman, Joseph Colley, said on Thursday as he announced the West African country’s 2026–2027 election calendar.

The Gambia’s electoral cycle previously consisted of three elections: presidential, national assembly and local government elections. However, this time, the local government election will be held on two separate election days: one for Councillors and one for Mayors.

  • The National Assembly election will be held on 10th April, 2027

  • Local government: Councillor election on 22nd May, 2027, and mayoral election on 26th June, 2027.

  • A supplementary voter registration will be conducted from 1st April to 14th May, 2026, to update the voter register.

Ballot Drums of 2021 Presidential Candidates © IEC

For the presidential election, the following calendar of events was announced:

  • Nomination of candidates: 26th October to 6th November, 2026

  • Campaign period: 10th November to 3rd December, 2026

For the national assembly election, the following calendar of events was announced:

  • Nomination of candidates: 6th to 14th March, 2027

  • Campaign period: 18th March to 8th April, 2027

For the local government election, the following calendar of events have been announced:

  • Councillors: Nomination of candidates 24th April to 3rd May, 2027

  • Councillors: Campaign period 7th to 20th May, 2027

  • Mayors: Nomination of candidates 2nd to 9th June, 2027

  • Mayors: Campaign period 11th to 24th June, 2027

According to Colley, the Electoral Commission validated its 2026-2027 Strategic Plan which outlines priorities of inclusion, transparency, and respect for the rule of law guiding the conduct of elections in The Gambia.

He said electoral stakeholders will be continually engaged to ensure clarity, understanding, and confidence in the electoral processes.

The last national and local elections were held in December 2021, April 2022, and May 2023 respectively.

This article was first published by FactCheckGambia.org in the link: https://factcheckgambia.org/2025/10/09/election-gambians-will-return-to-the-polls-in-december-2026/

Askanwi Gambia

Askanwi “The People”, is an innovative new media platform designed to provide the Gambian public with relevant, comprehensive, objective, and citizen-focused news.

https://askanwi.com
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