the Unique Features of the 6th Presidential Election of Mongolia

The 2013 Presidential Election Campaign has officially started on May 22, in which three candidates received their mandates to run for president.

They were officially registered by the General Election Commission to run in the 6th Presidential Election in Mongolia. They are Ts.Elbegdorj, the current President of Mongolia, from the Democratic Party; former wrestler, champion B.Bat-Erdene, from the Mongolian People’s Party; and the Minister of Health, N.Udval, from the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party.

The candidates will conduct their election campaigns for 34 days in compliance with the law and regulations, and Mongolian citizens who are eligible to vote can do so on June 26.

This time, Presidential Election is distinct from the previous five Presidential Elections by given the current legal environment and the candidates.

1. The ballot papers to be automatically counted

The parliamentary meeting held on December 21, 2012 came up with a decision to allow using the automated technique and device, “New ImageCast,” in the operations of voter registration, poll taking, and ballot paper counting.

Accordingly, the ballot papers of the Presidential Election will be counted by an automatic device for the first time through Dominion Voting, the company that started providing the world market with election products in 2002. Mongolia introduced its ImageCast electronic voting machine in the Parliamentary Election, conducted last year. According to the local media, the ballot papers of the 2013 Presidential Election will be counted electronically by a machine.

2. First ever female candidate

The Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party assembly held its meeting on May 11 and decided to endorse its member, Minister of Health N.Udval, to the 2013 Presidential Election.

She is the first ever female incumbent in the Presidential Election in the history of Mongolia. The issues of increasing women participation in politics and providing gender equality rights in all levels of state management are on the rise. In 2012, the highest number of women representatives or nine women were elected in the Parliament in the last election.

3. Candidates running on equal footing

In 2011, the law on elections adopted the cut-off method in the election campaign of the candidates and tightened penalty measures in case of violation.

For example, the new election law placed limits on the promotion board and the length of paid TV advertising. Accordingly, the candidates will be able to equally compete...