Bolivia's Electoral Process: Voting For Change

Bolivia is a unitary republic with a representative democratic government, meaning that citizens elect individuals to represent their interests in government. The country's politics take place within a presidential framework, with the president serving as both the head of state and the head of government. Bolivia's government is divided into three branches: the executive, the legislative, and the judiciary. The executive power is exercised by the government, while legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament. The judiciary and the electoral branch are independent of the executive and the legislature.

President and Vice-President

Bolivia elects a head of state, the President, and a Vice-President through popular vote. The President of Bolivia is also the head of the government and the captain-general of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. The President and Vice-President are elected for a five-year term, with no limit on the number of terms a President may serve.

The President is directly elected by the people, by majority. A candidate must receive at least 50% of the vote, or 40% of the vote, and 10% more than the second candidate to be elected, otherwise a second round is held with the top two finishers to determine the winner.

The current President of Bolivia is Luis Arce, who was inaugurated on 8 November 2020. Arce's win represented a domestic resurrection for the Movement for Socialism (Mas) party, which some observers thought was doomed after its figurehead, Evo Morales, was driven abroad in 2019. Arce has stated that he will only serve one term.

The Vice-President of Bolivia is the second-highest political position in the country and assumes the Presidency if the President dies, resigns, or is impeached and removed from office. The current Vice-President is David Choquehuanca, who was inaugurated alongside Arce.

Upper House of the National Legislature

The Upper House of the National Legislature of Bolivia is called the Chamber of Senators (Cámara de Senadores). It is the upper house of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, which is the national legislature of Bolivia. The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the Bolivian government and is composed of the Chamber of Senators and the Chamber of Deputies.

The Chamber of Senators has 36 seats, with each of Bolivia's nine departments returning four senators. Senators are elected by proportional representation (using the D'Hondt method) from party lists to serve five-year terms, and the minimum age to hold a Senate seat is 35 years. The Senate is the legislative body of the country, where each senator represents the interests of their department. The session room is located in the Legislative Palace building in Plaza Murillo, La Paz.

The Chamber of Senators was established in 1831, but it was later disestablished and then re-established in 1878. Before the adoption of the new Constitution of 2009, this chamber was called the National Senate (Senado Nacional).

The legislative body of Bolivia, known as the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, meets in the legislative palace in the Plaza Murillo of La Paz. This building, sometimes referred to as the National Congress, sits beside the Presidential Palace and the Nuestra Señora cathedral. It was built before the 20th century and has served multiple purposes, including as a university and a Catholic convent.

Lower House of the National Legislature

The Lower House of the National Legislature, also known as the Chamber of Deputies, consists of 130 members directly elected for five-year terms. Seventy of these representatives are elected via plurality in single-member constituencies, while 53 are elected in multi-member constituencies through closed-list proportional representation. Additionally, seven seats are reserved as special constituencies for indigenous communities, elected via "usos y costumbres" (indigenous customary practices).

The Chamber of Deputies is one of the two chambers of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, which carries out legislative duties in Bolivia. The other chamber is the Upper House of the National Legislature, or the Senate, which consists of 36 members.

The Plurinational Legislative Assembly is the legislative body of Bolivia and meets in the legislative palace in the Plaza Murillo of La Paz. This building, sometimes referred to as the National Congress, is located beside the Presidential Palace and the Nuestra Señora cathedral.

State/Provincial Executive

Bolivia's government operates as a representative democratic republic, with three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The executive branch is comprised of the president and their cabinet. The president is both the head of state and the head of government and is directly elected by the people for a five-year term.

Bolivia's current constitution, adopted in 2009, outlines the country's system of government and provides for a unitary secular state. The constitution allows for a one-time consecutive re-election of the president. The presidential candidate must receive at least 50% of the vote or 40% of the vote with a 10% lead over the second-place candidate to win the election. If no candidate meets these thresholds in the first round of voting, a runoff election is held between the top two candidates.

The president's cabinet, or Council of Ministers, is made up of the heads of the twenty-one ministries in the executive branch. These ministers form the government's cabinet and are responsible for executing the country's policies and administering various government functions. The cabinet members are appointed by the president and can be removed through a vote of no confidence by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.

The executive branch works in conjunction with the legislative and judicial branches to govern the country. The legislative branch, known as the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, is responsible for creating and passing laws. It is organised into two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies and the Chamber of Senators. The judiciary, on the other hand, is responsible for interpreting the laws and ensuring their fair and impartial application. It consists of several courts, including the Supreme Court of Justice, the Plurinational Constitutional Court, and the Judiciary Council.

Municipal Government

Bolivia is a unitary republic with a representative democratic government. The country is divided into 9 departments, 112 provinces, 327 municipalities, and 1,384 cantons.

The municipal government is headed by a municipal council and a mayor. Councilpersons are elected by universal, direct, and secret suffrage. Mayoral candidates are listed at the top of the ballot, designated for council candidates from each party. Mayors are chosen by an absolute majority of valid votes. If no mayoral candidate obtains an absolute majority, the municipal council selects the two candidates with the highest number of valid votes and selects one by an absolute majority of votes among elected council members.

National Government

Bolivia elects a head of state, the president, and a vice president, who are directly elected by the people for a five-year term. The president is both the head of state and the head of government. The National Congress (Congreso Nacional) has two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies (130 members) and the Chamber of Senators (36 members). The legislative branch of the government, known as the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, carries out legislative duties and is organised into these two chambers.

Bolivia has a multi-party system, with numerous active political parties. The country's current constitution was adopted via referendum in 2009, providing for a unitary secular state.

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