House Rejects Bill Mandating Presidential, Gubernatorial Candidates to Secure Over 50% Votes

The House of Representatives has rejected a bill that would make it mandatory for presidential and governorship candidates to secure more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast before the winner is declared. The bill was aimed at amending the 1999 constitution by removing the simple majority rule for presidential and governorship candidates. The bill sponsored by Awaji-inombek Abiante sought to amend sections 134 and 179 of the constitution, which provided the conditions to be elected president and governor, respectively. Abiante’s proposal sought to change the simple majority rule to an absolute majority. In other words, when there are more than two candidates in the race, the winner must secure more than 50 per cent of the total votes cast.