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2024 Sri Lankan presidential election

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2024 Sri Lankan presidential election

← 2022 21 September 2024 Next →
Registered17,140,354[1]
Turnout79.46% (Decrease4.26 pp)[2]
 
Candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake Sajith Premadasa Ranil Wickremesinghe
Party JVP SJB Independent
Alliance NPP SJB UNP[d]
First preference vote 5,634,915 4,363,035 2,299,767
Percentage 42.31% 32.76% 17.27%
Total votes[a] 5,740,179[b] 4,530,902[c] Eliminated
Total % 55.89% 44.11% Eliminated


President before election

Ranil Wickremesinghe
UNP

Elected President

Anura Kumara Dissanayake
NPP

The 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election was the ninth presidential election in the country’s history and was held on 21 September 2024.[3][4] Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe ran for re-election as an independent candidate, making him the first sitting president to run for re-election since Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2015.[5][6][7] Other prominent candidates included Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the NPP, and Namal Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.[8]

The election was a three-way contest between Wickremesinghe, Premadasa and Dissanayake. The first vote count concluded with no candidate winning a majority. Dissanayake won a plurality of the vote with 42.31%, followed by Premadasa with 32.76%. Incumbent president Wickremesinghe finished third, winning only 17.27% of the vote. Since no candidate won a majority, a second round of vote counting was held for the first time in Sri Lanka's history under its limited ranked voting system.[9] The following day, Dissanayake was declared the winner, winning 55.89% of the vote in the second round.[10][11] He was inaugurated on 23 September.

The election signified a major political realignment in Sri Lanka.[12] Dissanayake's victory was the first time a third-party candidate was elected president. This was also the first election where neither of the top two candidates were endorsed by the United National Party or the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

Background

[edit]

The last direct presidential elections held in Sri Lanka were in 2019, where SLPP candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa won the election in a landslide victory, defeating his main opponent Sajith Premadasa.[13][14]

Rajapaksa resigned on 14 July 2022 during the 2022 Sri Lankan protests.[15] This triggered an indirect presidential election via Parliament a week later, to elect a successor according to the Article 40 of the Constitution.[16] Ranil Wickremesinghe, who had been appointed as Prime Minister by Rajapaksa just two months earlier, received the most votes and was sworn in as the 9th President of Sri Lanka on 21 July 2022.[17][18]

Article 40 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka states that "Any person so succeeding to the office of President shall hold office only for the unexpired period of the term of office of the President vacating office.[19] President Wickremesinghe's term is due to expire on 17 November 2024.

Discussion surrounding the 2024 election had been a major topic since the beginning of the year. The Election Commission stated that the election had to be held between 17 September and 16 October, as required by the Constitution. On 26 July, the Election Commission issued a Gazette notification declaring that the election would be held on 21 September 2024, with nominations for candidates to be submitted by 15 August.[20] The commission chose to hold the election on a Saturday, stating that this would help ensure a high voter turnout. On the same day, Ranil Wickremesinghe announced his candidacy for a second term as president, running as an independent candidate.[3][7]

Approximately 17 million people were eligible to vote in this election.[1][21][22]

Recent Sri Lankan election results

[edit]

Prior election results

[edit]
Election results
Dates of elections Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
(SLPFA)
Samagi Jana Balawegaya National People's Power Tamil National Alliance United National Party Others
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
2019 presidential election 6,924,255 52.25% 418,553 3.16% 5,564,239 41.99%[e] 345,452 2.35%
2020 parliamentary election 6,853,690 59.09% 2,771,980 23.90% 445,958 3.84% 327,168 2.82% 249,435 2.15% 950,698 8.20%

Maps

[edit]
Election results map
2019 presidential election 2020 parliamentary election
Elected members of each electoral district or municipality, gaining the highest number of votes
SLPFA SJB TNA SLFP EPDP Other parties

Electoral system

[edit]

Type of electoral system

[edit]

The President of Sri Lanka is elected through a system of limited ranked voting. Voters can express up to three ranked preferences for the presidency. If no candidate receives more than 50% of all valid votes in the first count, all candidates except the two who received the highest number of votes are eliminated. The second and third preference votes of the eliminated candidates are then redistributed to the remaining two candidates until one of them secures an outright majority.[23]

In practice, this system had seen no use. Every presidential election since the first in 1982 had resulted in a candidate from one of the major parties or alliances winning an outright majority in the first count. Consequently, most voters choose to mark only one candidate on their ballots, and many are either unaware that they can rank multiple candidates or choose not to exercise that prerogative.[24][25]

Voting procedure

[edit]

The Election Commission outlined the voting procedure on 30 August 2024, detailing the ranked voting system due to the multiple candidates contesting the presidential election, ensuring voters were informed on how to cast and submit their ballots.[26][27] Voting began at 13,134 polling stations nationwide at 7:00 AM SLST on 21 September and closed at 4:00 PM SLST.[28]

Postal voting

[edit]

The Election Commission announced the dates and locations for postal voting in a media release on 29 August 2024. This facility is available only to pre-approved officials engaged in election duties.[29][30] Postal voting was conducted on 4, 5, 6, 11, and 12 September, strictly according to the provided schedule.[31][32][28]

Ballot boxes and security systems

[edit]

Due to the larger size of the ballot papers, the Election Commission has opted to use cardboard ballot boxes instead of traditional wooden ones. These boxes will be available in three sizes. A combination of wooden and cardboard ballot boxes was used in the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election and the 2020 Sri Lankan parliamentary election.[33][34]

To further ensure security, the government imposed a liquor ban on the weekend of 21 to 22 September and deployed more than 63,000 police officers to secure polling stations and counting centres. It also banned the holding of victory rallies or celebrations until a week after the results were announced.[35] A nighttime curfew was also declared after the end of voting, which was lifted at noon on 22 September.[36]

Candidates

[edit]

By the end of candidate registration on 15 August, the Election Commission had accepted a total of 39 applications for the presidential election, the highest number ever recorded for a presidential election in Sri Lanka.[37] One candidate, Mohamed Illiyas, died of a heart attack prior to the election.[28][38] His name on the ballot was not replaced. Despite the record number of candidates, none were female.[39][40]

Major candidates

[edit]
Candidate Political office and constituency Symbol[41] Endorsements Notes Ref.

Ranil Wickremesinghe (75)
Independent
President of Sri Lanka (2022–2024)
Leader of the United National Party (since 1994)
Former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka (1993–1994, 2001–2004, 2015–2018, 2018–2019, 2022)
Gas Cylinder
  • Declared 26 July 2024
  • Previously ran in 1999 and 2005.
  • Election manifesto launched on 29 August 2024
[6][49]

Sajith Premadasa (57)
Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Leader of the Opposition (since 2019)
Leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (since 2020)
Colombo
Telephone
  • Declared 16 May 2023
  • Son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa
  • Previously ran in 2019.
  • Election manifesto launched on 29 August 2024
[62][63]

Anura Kumara Dissanayake (55)
National People's Power
Former Minister and Chief Opposition Whip (2015–2018)
Leader of the National People's Power (since 2015)
Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (since 2014)
Colombo
Compass
  • Declared 29 August 2023
  • Previously ran in 2019.
  • Election manifesto launched on 26 August 2024
[64][65]

Minor candidates

[edit]
Candidate Political office and constituency Symbol[41] Endorsements Notes Ref.

Namal Rajapaksa (38)
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
Former Minister of Youth and Sports (2020–2022)
Hambantota
Flower bud (Pohottuwa) [66][67]

Other candidates

[edit]

In addition to the four candidates mentioned above, 35 other candidates ran in the election.[68][69]

Candidate Party Symbol[41] Notes
Siripala Amarasinghe Independent Tyre Former JVP/UPFA MP for Gampaha.[70] Presidential candidate in 2019.
P. Ariyanethiran Independent Conch shell Former ITAK/TNA MP for Batticaloa.[71] Endorsed by the EPRLF, PLOTE, TELO, Tamil National Party and TMK.[72]
D. M. Bandaranaike Independent Table fan
P. W. S. K. Bandaranayake National Development Front Coconut Academic at the University of Peradeniya.[73]
Nuwan Bopage Socialist People's Forum Umbrella Aragalaya activist.[74] Endorsed by the FSP and New Democratic Marxist–Leninist Party.[75]
Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero Independent Blackboard Former JHU/UPFA MP for Colombo.[76]
Mahinda Dewage Socialist Party of Sri Lanka Balloon
Sarath Fonseka Independent Lantern 5th Chief of the Defence Staff. 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army. Former Minister. SJB MP from Gampaha. Presidential candidate in 2010.[77]
Oshala Herath New Independent Front Till Leader of New Independent Front.[78] Former UNP candidate in Colombo.[79]
Mohamed Illiyas Independent Syringe Former SLMC MP for Jaffna.[80] Presidential candidate in 2010 (endorsed Sarath Fonseka), 2015 and 2019.[81] Died on 22 August 2024.[38]
Abubakar Mohamed Infaz Democratic Unity Alliance Two leaves
Sidney Jayarathna Independent Jackfruit Former UNP/UNFGG MP for Polonnaruwa.[82]
Siritunga Jayasuriya United Socialist Party Tri-shaw Presidential candidate in 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2019.
Dilith Jayaweera Communist Party of Sri Lanka Star Leader of Mawbima Janatha Pakshaya.[83] Endorsed by the Sarvajana Balaya.[84] Election manifesto launched on 31 August 2024.[85]
Sarath Keerthirathne Independent Football Former Deputy Minister. Former SLFP/PA MP for Gampaha.[86] Presidential candidate in 2019.
K. R. Kishan Arunalu People's Front Water tap
Ananda Kularatne Independent Medal Former Cabinet Minister. Former UNP/UNF MP for Hambantota.[87]
A. S. P. Liyanage Sri Lanka Labour Party Kangaroo Presidential candidate in 2010, 2015 and 2019.
Sarath Manamendra New Sinhala Heritage Bow and arrow Presidential candidate in 2010, 2015 (endorsed Mahinda Rajapaksa) and 2019.[88]
Victor Anthony Perera Independent Motorbike Former SLFP/UPFA MP for Puttalam.[89]
K. K. Piyadasa Independent Calculator Former UNP/UNFGG MP for Nuwara Eliya.[90]
Anuruddha Polgampola[91] Independent Horseshoe Former JVP/UPFA MP for Kegalle.[92] Presidential candidate in 2015 and 2019.
M. M. Premasiri Independent Pair of spectacles Former JVP/UPFA MP for Matara.[93]
Namal Rajapakshe Samabima Party Envelope Not to be confused with SLPP candidate Namal Rajapaksa nor the part of the Rajapaksa family.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe National Democratic Front Car Former Cabinet Minister. SLFP MP for Colombo. Endorsed by a faction of the SLFP.[94]
Roshan Ranasinghe Independent Cricket bat Former Cabinet Minister. SLPP/SLPFA MP for Polonnaruwa.[95]
Janaka Ratnayake United Lanka People's Party Cup Former chairman of the PUCSL.[96]
Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero People's Welfare Front Tractor Presidential candidate in 2010, 2015 and 2019.
Lalith de Silva United National Freedom Front Comb of plantains
Suranjeewa Anoj de Silva Democratic United National Front Eagle
M. Thilakarajah Independent Bird feather Former NUW/UNFGG MP for Nuwara Eliya.[97]
Keerthi Wickremeratne Our People's Power Party Flag Endorsed by the Lanka Sama Samaja Party. Election manifesto launched on 27 August 2024[98]
Priyantha Wickremesinghe Nava Sama Samaja Party Table
Pani Wijesiriwardena Socialist Equality Party Pair of scissors Presidential candidate in 2015 and 2019.
Ajantha de Zoyza Ruhunu People's Party Pineapple Former SLFP/PA National List MP.[99] Presidential candidate in 2019 (endorsed Sajith Premadasa).[100]

One of the main reasons for the proliferation of candidates is the low election deposit required to contest – Rs. 50,000 (US$170) for party candidates and Rs. 75,000 (US$250) for independent candidates. These amounts that have remained unchanged since the introduction of presidential elections in 1982.[101][102]

Many of the minor candidates are accused of being proxy or dummy candidates put forward by the main contenders to maximise the benefits of candidacy, such as having two agents at every polling station, assigning counting agents, receiving free slots on state television, and gaining general media coverage.[103][104][105]

Withdrawn candidates

[edit]

The following candidates initially declared their intentions to contest the election but later declined and withdrew from the campaign.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna

[edit]

Sri Lanka Freedom Party

[edit]

Rejected candidates

[edit]

The following candidate placed his deposit before the nomination date but failed to appear and submit his nomination papers.

Campaign

[edit]

Platforms

[edit]

Ranil Wickremesinghe highlighted his administration's success in resolving shortages of basic goods. Anura Kumara Dissanayake campaigned on a platform promoting economic freedoms and welfare protections for the working class. Sajith Premadasa vowed to mitigate the impact of the International Monetary Fund's restructuring programme on the poor and promised devolved political powers to the Tamil minority. Namal Rajapaksa pledged to reduce tax burdens, attributing the recent economic and political crises to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21]

Debates

[edit]

The first presidential debate was scheduled for 7 September 2024, hosted by the March 12 Movement. Four candidates, Sajith Premadasa, Namal Rajapaksa, Dilith Jayaweera, and P. Ariyanethiran, confirmed their participation. The debate took place at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) and was broadcast live on mainstream television and social media platforms.[112] However, despite initial confirmations, only Dilith Jayaweera attended the debate.[113][114]

Election monitors

[edit]

Following an invitation from the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, the European External Action Service (EEAS) of the European Union (EU) will deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the Presidential Election scheduled for 21 September.[115][116]

The Election Commission further announced that representatives from 12 countries have been invited to observe the upcoming election. Among those participating are South Asian countries such as India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Maldives, as well as a Commonwealth observer group (COG)[117] and representatives from the Asian Election Observation Network.[118]

Campaign finances

[edit]

Expenditure cap and regulations

[edit]

The Election Commission, through a Gazette notification (Gazette Extraordinary – No. 2397/66 on 16 August 2024), set an expenditure cap of Rs. 109 per voter for the 2024 presidential election. As a result, each candidate is now permitted to spend a maximum of Rs. 1.8 billion (Rs. 1,868,298,586).[119] These regulations have been enforced under the Regulation of Election Expenditure Act, No. 3 of 2023, which was certified on 24 January 2023.[120]

Candidate asset declarations

[edit]

Under the Anti-Corruption Act, election candidates must submit a Declaration of Assets and Liabilities to the Commissioner of Elections with their nomination papers, covering assets and liabilities up to the date the election is announced.[121][122]

After candidates in the Presidential Election submitted their declarations to the Elections Commission on 15 August 2024, the deadline for nomination papers, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) obtained and published redacted versions on its official website.[123][124]

Candidate[125] Personal[126] Party[127] Total spent[128]
Money spent Debt Money spent Debt
Sajith Premadasa LKR 936,258,524.60 LKR 0 LKR 194,087,715.04 LKR 0 LKR 1,130,346,239.64
Ranil Wickremesinghe[129] LKR 990,327,687.16 LKR 0 No Data No Data LKR 990,327,687.16
Namal Rajapaksa[130] LKR 406,566.00 LKR 0 LKR 388,939,085.00 LKR 200,000,000.00 LKR 589,345,651.00
Anura Kumara Dissanayake LKR 68,066.36 LKR 0 LKR 527,999,889.38 LKR 0 LKR 527,999,889.38
Dilith Jayaweera[131] LKR 324,643,246.05 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 324,643,246.05
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe[132] LKR 60,445,320.00 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 60,445,320.00
Sarath Fonseka[133] LKR 33,588,901.72 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 33,588,901.72
Janaka Ratnayake[134] LKR 24,876,899.00 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 0 LKR 24,876,899.00
Roshan Ranasinghe[135] LKR 78,600.00 LKR 0 LKR 2,722,000.00 LKR 0 LKR 2,800,600.00

Opinion polls

[edit]

Institute for Health Policy

[edit]

The Institute for Health Policy (IHP) is an independent research institution.[136]

The following nationwide presidential poll was conducted by the IHP. The poll ranked Sajith Premadasa, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and a generic SLPP candidate. All polls conducted before Namal Rajapaksa announced his candidacy on 7 August, including the IHP MRP Presidential Election Update June 2024 released on 1 August, did not account for his entry.[137][138]

Date Polling firm Dissanayake
NPP
Premadasa
SJB
Wickremesinghe
Independent
Rajapaksa
SLPP
Others Lead Margin
of error
Sample
size
31 August–13 September 2024 Institute for Health Policy 48% 25% 20% 5% 23 ±3–6% 20,714
1 August–2 September 2024 Institute for Health Policy 36% 32% 28% 3% 4 ±3–7% 19,721
7 August 2024 Rajapaksa declares his candidacy.
26 July 2024 Wickremesinghe declares his candidacy.
July 2024 Institute for Health Policy 37% 36% 23% 4% 1 ±1–3% 19,015
June 2024 Institute for Health Policy 30% 43% 20% 7% 13 ±1–11% 18,213
May 2024 Institute for Health Policy 39% 38% 15% 7% 1 ±1–4% 17,751
April 2024 Institute for Health Policy 39% 39% 13% 9% Tie ±1–4% 17,134
March 2024 Institute for Health Policy 44% 41% 8% 7% 3 ±1–4% 16,661
February 2024 Institute for Health Policy 53% 34% 6% 7% 19 ±1–4% 16,234
January 2024 Institute for Health Policy 50% 36% 7% 7% 14 ±1–4% 15,590
December 2023 Institute for Health Policy 50% 33% 9% 8% 17 ±1–4% 14,941
October 2023 Institute for Health Policy 51% 30% 13% 6% 21 ±1–4% 13,935
September 2023 Institute for Health Policy 46% 29% 17% 8% 17 ±1–3% 13,431
29 August 2023 Dissanayake declares his candidacy.
August 2023 Institute for Health Policy 38% 35% 18% 9% 3 ±1–3% 12,848
July 2023 Institute for Health Policy 39% 33% 19% 9% 6 ±1–3% 12,269
June 2023 Institute for Health Policy 40% 35% 15% 9% 5 ±1–3% 11,926
16 May 2023 Premadasa declares his candidacy.
May 2023 Institute for Health Policy 38% 34% 18% 10% 4 ±1–4% 11,897
April 2023 Institute for Health Policy 45% 37% 13% 6% 8 ±1–4% 11,367
March 2023 Institute for Health Policy 48% 37% 11% 4% 11 ±1–5% 10,601

Numbers.lk

[edit]

Numbers.lk is a platform that curates and presents statistics related to Sri Lanka.

Date Polling firm Dissanayake
NPP
Premadasa
SJB
Wickremesinghe
Independent
Rajapaksa
SLPP
Others Lead Margin
of error
Sample
size
9–16 September 2024 numbers.lk 40% 29% 25% 3% 3% 11 ±5% 5,335
9–23 August 2024 numbers.lk 43% 22% 27% 3% 4% 16 ±3% 3,900
4–18 April 2024 numbers.lk 46% 22% 18% 14% 24 ±3.5% 2,048

Favourability ratings

[edit]
Note
  • Negative scores, which denote a net favourability rating below zero, indicate that the individual or institution is considered unpopular. In contrast, positive scores, where the net favourability is above zero, suggest that the individual or institution is generally regarded as popular.
January 2024

In the Institute for Health Policy (IHP) Sri Lanka Opinion Tracker Survey (SLOTS) polling, all major party candidates continued to have negative favourability ratings. The net favourability rating of Anura Kumara Dissanayake increased by 12 points to −10, while the favourability ratings of Sajith Premadasa and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe each decreased by 9 points, to −53 and −77, respectively.[139]

March 2024

In IHP SLOTS polling, the net favourability rating of Sajith Premadasa increased by 30 points to −30 in March compared to the previous month, while the favourability ratings of Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Ranil Wickremesinghe remained relatively unchanged at −24 (down 2 points) and −78 (up 1 point), respectively.[140]

July 2024

In the IHP SLOTS polling conducted in July 2024, the net favourability rating of Anura Kumara Dissanayake rose by 29 points from June, reaching +3. President Ranil Wickremesinghe's favourability improved by 40 points to −24, surpassing that of Sajith Premadasa. Sajith Premadasa's favourability rating changed little, shifting from −42 in June to −44 in July.[141]

August 2024

In the IHP SLOTS polling for August 2024, the net favourability rating of Sajith Premadasa improved to −32, a 10-point increase compared to July. Meanwhile, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Ranil Wickremesinghe saw their favourability ratings drop to −21 (a decrease of 16 points) and −33 (a decrease of 4 points), respectively. The favourability rating of Namal Rajapaksa, stood at −89.[142]

Results

[edit]

National

[edit]
CandidatePartyFirst preferenceTotal votes
Votes%Votes%
Anura Kumara DissanayakeNational People's Power5,634,91542.315,740,17955.89
Sajith PremadasaSamagi Jana Balawegaya4,363,03532.764,530,90244.11
Ranil WickremesingheIndependent[d]2,299,76717.27
Namal RajapaksaSri Lanka Podujana Peramuna342,7812.57
P. AriyanethiranIndependent226,3431.70
Dilith JayaweeraCommunist Party of Sri Lanka122,3960.92
K. K. PiyadasaIndependent47,5430.36
D. M. BandaranayakeIndependent30,6600.23
Sarath FonsekaIndependent22,4070.17
Wijeyadasa RajapaksheNational Democratic Front21,3060.16
Anuruddha PolgampolaIndependent15,4110.12
Sarath KeerthirathneIndependent15,1870.11
K. R. KrishanArunalu People's Front13,5950.10
Suranjeewa Anoj de SilvaDemocratic United National Front12,8980.10
Priyantha WickremesingheNava Sama Samaja Party12,7600.10
Namal RajapakshaSamabima Party12,7000.10
Akmeemana Dayarathana TheroIndependent11,5360.09
Nuwan BopegeSocialist People's Forum11,1910.08
Ajantha de ZoyzaRuhunu People's Party10,5480.08
Victor Anthony PereraIndependent10,3740.08
Siripala AmarasingheIndependent9,0350.07
Siritunga JayasuriyaUnited Socialist Party8,9540.07
Battaramulle Seelarathana TheroPeople's Welfare Front6,8390.05
Abubakar Mohamed InfazDemocratic Unity Alliance6,5310.05
Pemasiri ManageIndependent5,8220.04
Mahinda DewageSocialist Party of Sri Lanka5,3380.04
Keerthi WickremeratneOur People's Power Party4,6760.04
Pani WijesiriwardenaSocialist Equality Party4,4100.03
Oshala HerathNew Independent Front4,2530.03
Roshan RanasingheIndependent4,2050.03
P. W. S. K. BandaranayakeNational Development Front4,0700.03
Ananda KularatneIndependent4,0130.03
Lalith de SilvaUnited National Freedom Front3,0040.02
Sidney JayarathnaIndependent2,7990.02
Janaka RatnayakeUnited Lanka People's Party2,4050.02
M. ThilakarajahIndependent2,1380.02
Sarath ManamendraNew Sinhala Heritage1,9110.01
A. S. P. LiyanageSri Lanka Labour Party1,8600.01
Total13,319,616100.0010,271,081100.00
Valid votes13,319,61697.8010,271,08175.41
Invalid/blank votes300,3002.203,348,83524.59
Total votes13,619,916100.0013,619,916100.00
Registered voters/turnout17,140,35479.4617,140,35479.46
Source: Election Commission of Sri Lanka [2]

By district

[edit]

First round

[edit]
Districts won by Dissanayake
Districts won by Premadasa
Summary of the 2024 Sri Lankan presidential election by electoral district[2]
Electoral
District
Province Dissanayake Premadasa Wickremesinghe Others Total
Valid
Rejected
Votes
Total
Polled
Registered
Electors
Turnout
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Ampara Eastern 108,971 25.74% 200,384 47.33% 86,589 20.45% 27,453 4.22% 423,397 6,563 429,960 555,432 77.41%
Anuradhapura North Central 285,944 47.37% 202,289 33.51% 82,152 13.61% 33,301 3.17% 603,686 9,782 613,468 741,862 82.69%
Badulla Uva 197,283 34.68% 219,674 38.61% 115,138 20.34% 36,829 3.13% 568,924 15,519 584,443 705,772 82.81%
Batticaloa Eastern 38,832 12.19% 139,110 43.66% 91,132 28.60% 49,574 12.63% 318,648 8,876 327,524 449,686 72.83%
Colombo Western 629,963 47.21% 342,108 25.64% 281,436 21.09% 80,883 4.31% 1,334,390 31,796 1,366,186 1,765,351 77.39%
Galle Southern 366,721 51.45% 189,555 26.59% 107,336 15.06% 49,208 6.90% 712,820 12,541 725,361 903,163 80.31%
Gampaha Western 809,410 55.50% 349,550 23.97% 216,028 14.81% 83,401 4.05% 1,458,389 29,381 1,487,770 1,881,129 79.09%
Hambantota Southern 221,913 51.96% 131,503 30.79% 33,217 7.78% 40,429 9.47% 427,062 6,443 433,505 520,940 83.22%
Jaffna Northern 27,086 7.29% 121,177 32.60% 84,558 22.75% 138,867 37.36% 371,688 25,353 397,041 593,187 66.93%
Kalutara Western 387,764 47.43% 236,307 28.91% 143,285 17.53% 50,162 4.10% 817,518 16,243 833,761 1,024,244 81.40%
Kandy Central 394,534 42.26% 323,998 34.71% 162,707 17.43% 52,277 3.13% 933,516 24,153 957,669 1,191,399 80.38%
Kegalle Sabaragamuwa 247,179 43.39% 185,930 32.64% 106,510 18.70% 30,060 2.94% 569,679 11,878 581,557 709,622 81.95%
Kurunegala North Western 544,763 48.20% 368,290 32.58% 146,520 12.96% 70,720 4.17% 1,130,293 19,337 1,149,630 1,417,226 81.12%
Matale Central 140,544 41.37% 121,803 35.85% 53,829 15.84% 23,558 3.96% 339,734 7,921 347,655 429,991 80.85%
Matara Southern 287,662 52.46% 147,462 26.89% 79,249 14.45% 33,956 4.12% 548,329 9,687 558,016 686,175 81.32%
Monaragala Uva 140,269 41.86% 134,238 40.06% 35,728 10.66% 24,847 4.60% 335,082 6,671 341,753 399,166 85.62%
Nuwara Eliya Central 105,057 22.17% 201,814 42.58% 138,619 29.25% 28,445 2.72% 473,935 14,643 488,578 605,292 80.72%
Polonnaruwa North Central 130,880 46.12% 100,730 35.49% 36,908 13.00% 15,283 5.39% 283,801 4,962 288,763 351,302 82.19%
Puttalam North Western 207,134 44.06% 173,382 36.88% 60,719 12.92% 28,860 3.55% 470,095 8,279 478,374 663,673 72.08%
Ratnapura Sabaragamuwa 291,708 39.32% 257,721 34.74% 145,038 19.55% 47,433 3.88% 741,900 15,070 756,970 923,736 81.95%
Trincomalee Eastern 49,886 20.83% 120,588 50.36% 40,496 16.91% 28,491 11.90% 239,461 5,821 245,282 315,925 77.64%
Vanni Northern 21,412 9.86% 95,422 43.92% 52,573 24.20% 47,862 22.02% 217,269 9,381 226,650 306,081 74.05%
Total 5,634,915 42.31% 4,363,035 32.76% 2,299,767 17.27% 1,021,899 7.66% 13,319,616 300,300 13,619,916 17,140,354 79.46%

Aftermath

[edit]

While counting was still underway, foreign minister Ali Sabry congratulated Dissanayake, citing his strong showing in the results.[143] The test match between Sri Lanka and New Zealand featured a rest day due to the election. It was the first time in sixteen years since a test match had a rest day.[144]

SJB MP Harsha de Silva congratulated Dissanayake. The Tamil National Alliance, which had endorsed Premadasa, congratulated Dissanayake for his "impressive win" without relying on "racial or religious chauvinism".[145] Ranil Wickremesinghe also congratulated Dissanayake.[146]

The International Monetary Fund congratulated Dissanayake and said it was ready to discuss the future of the economic recovery plan.[147]

Dissanayake attributed his victory to the "collective effort" of voters.[148] He was sworn in as president on 23 September.[146] Parliament was dissolved by Dissanayake the next day, and early parliamentary elections were called on 14 November.[149]

International reactions

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ All island + preferential results
  2. ^ Total votes: 5,634,915 + 105,264
  3. ^ Total votes: 4,363,035 + 167,035
  4. ^ a b Member of the United National Party officially running as independent, endorsed by the UNP and SLPP breakaway faction
  5. ^ New Democratic Front candidate led by the United National Party
  6. ^ Not eligible to contest due to holding dual citizenship

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