2024 State Great Khural Elections: 1337 Candidates Registered

Ulaanbaatar, June 14, 2024 /MONTSAME/. The 2024 regular election of the State Great Khural of Mongolia is scheduled to take place on June 28, 2024. Votes from citizens residing abroad will be collected on June 20, 21, 22, and 23, 2024.

A total of 1337 candidates, of which 1295 from 19 parties and 2 coalitions, and 42 independent candidates will run for the 2024 regular election of the State Great Khural of Mongolia. There will be 2 million 238 thousand voters.

Article twenty-one of the Constitution of Mongolia stipulates, "The State Great Khural shall consist of one chamber comprising one hundred and twenty-six members. The election of the State Great Khural shall be conducted by a mixed electoral system. Seventy-eight members of the State Great Khural shall be elected by majority representation, and forty-eight members shall be elected by proportional representation."

Resolution No. 112 of 2023 of the State Great Khural of Mongolia delineated the zonal constituencies for the 2024 regular election of the Parliament of Mongolia, specifying the number of mandates, the territorial boundaries, and the central locations of these zones. According to the Resolution, in alignment with Mongolia's regional development concept, aimags were divided into seven zones, whereas the capital was divided into six zones, resulting in the establishment of 13 electoral constituencies for the State Great Khural of Mongolia.

Electing 78 members by majority representation means that voters will base their choices on the number of mandates allocated to each constituency.

In the proportional representation method, 48 members will be elected, wherein voters select only one party or coalition. Accordingly, the voter's ballot typically consists of two components: voting for the candidate in their constituency and voting for the preferred party or coalition.

Election campaigning commences on the day candidates are issued with identity cards and concludes 24 hours before polling day or before 00:00 on the day preceding polling day. Therefore, it is permissible to engage in election campaigning from June 10, 2024, until June 26, 2024.

Since the regular elections of 2012, Mongolia has fully used the automated election system for voter counting and registration. The decision regarding the utilization of technical equipment in elections is made by the Parliament. For the 2024 regular elections of the State Great Khural, the "New Image Cast" vote-counting device will be employed.

During the previous years, selected polls were used to conduct verificatory counts to validate vote counts ballot machines. There was no instance of variance in count between the ballot machine votes and verificatory counts, so domestic and foreign observers agreed that there was no way of tinkering with vote counts in ballot machines. 

After the voting period of the 2024 regular election of the State Great Khural of Mongolia is done, verificatory counts will be conducted in all polls. Verificatory counts will be conducted openly and will include the observers of parties, coalitions, and candidates. Representatives of foreign observers, voters, and the press will also be included. The verificatory counts will be openly conducted and recorded constantly with video cameras for verification.

The election of the State Great Khural of Mongolia is entirely open, not only to Mongolians but also to the world. Parties, coalitions, candidates, and non-governmental organizations participating in the elections have the right to appoint up to two observers at each polling station. The organization and process of elections are entirely transparent, allowing domestic and foreign journalists and media organizations to observe and report on the proceedings.

Also, this year’s parliamentary election is special as it will follow regulations to ensure the transparency of the candidate’s income, donations received from citizens and entities, and money spent during the election process, informing the voter of the party’s or the candidate’s spending on the election.

International observers and journalists play an important role in not only informing and promoting Mongolia's election activities worldwide but also in identifying issues for consideration. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights monitors the electoral process in its member countries and provides reports and recommendations. According to past elections, over 300 observers typically come from the organization. The General Election Committee has extended invitations to international organizations and election bodies of foreign countries to observe the 2024 regular elections of the State Great Khural of Mongolia.