At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Panama

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal
• Head of Government: President Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal
• Assembly: Panama has a unicameral National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) with 71 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by simple majority vote to serve a 5-year term. Presidents are limited to two non-consecutive 5-year terms.

Election Note:

• The last presidential election was held on May 3, 2009. Ricardo MARTINELLI Berrocal of Democratic Change won with 60 percent of the vote. The runner-up, Balbina HERRERA, received 38 percent. In response to concerns from opposition politicians, MARTINELLI signed a pledge in 2012 stating that he would adhere to Panama’s law on term limits, which allows no president to serve consecutive terms. In addition to the presidential election, Panamanians will also elect 71 deputies to the National Assembly, 20 deputies to the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN), 7 municipal councilors, 77 mayors, and 648 township representatives on this day.

Candidates in this presidential race:

• José Domingo ARIAS
  • Party: Democratic Change / Cambio Democrático (CD)
• Juan Carlos NAVARRO
  • Party: Democratic Revolutionary Party / Partido Revolucionario Democrático (PRD)
• Juan Carlos VARELA
  • Party: Panemeñista Party / Partido Panameñista (PP)
• Genaro LÓPEZ Rodríguez
  • Party: Broad Front of Democracy / Frente Amplio por la Democracia (FAD)
• Juan JOVANÉ De Puy
  • Independent
• Esteban RODRÍGUEZ
  • Independent
• Gerardo BARROSO
  • Independent

Population and Voter Registration:

• Population: 3,867,535 (2014)
• Eligible Voters: 2,457,401 (April 2014)[3]

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 1,927,965 (2014)

·         Is Panama a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (26 June 1980)

·         Has Panama ratified CEDAW: Yes (29 October 1981)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 11 (following the 2014 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 60 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Panama a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Panama ratified CRPD: Yes (7 August 2007)

·         Population with a disability: 580,130 (est.)