The2015 Colombian regional and municipal elections were held on Sunday, 25 October 2015 inColombia to elect thegovernors of the 32departments, deputies to departmental assemblies, mayors of 1,102municipalities, municipal councillors and aldermen on local administrative boards (Juntas Administrativas Locales, JAL).
The governors of Colombia's 32 departments are elected to a single four-year term byfirst-past-the-post. The governor is considered the head of the local administration, but also thepresident's agent in the department to maintain public order and implement national policies.[1] Each department has a departmental assembly (asamblea departamental), with between 11 and 31 members depending on the department's population,[2] whose members are elected using the same electoral system as that used forcongressional elections - namely, optional open party-list proportional representation with the threshold being equal to half of the electoral quotient. Political parties choose whether their lists are 'preferential' (open) or 'non-preferential' (closed). Candidates on the party's open list are reordered based on the results, although votes cast only for the party rather than a candidate only count for purposes of seat allocation between parties.
The mayors of Colombia's 1,102 municipalities are elected to single four-year term byfirst-past-the-post. The mayor is the head of the local administrative and the legal representative of the municipality.[3] Each municipality has a municipal council (consejo municipal) made up of 7 to 21 members depending on the municipality's population. Municipal councillors are elected using the same electoral system used for departmental assemblies.[4]
Municipalities may be further subdivide themselves intocomunas (in urban areas) andcorregimientos municipales (in rural areas) which are administered by a local administrative board (Juntas Administrativas Locales, JAL).
Bogotá, the capital, has a special constitutional status as Capital District. Despite being the capital ofCundinamarca department, the government of Cundinamarca has no authority over Bogotá's territory and the city's inhabitants do not vote for the governor of Cundinamarca. While Bogotá is counted as a municipality, it has the powers of both departments and municipalities. The capital is administered by a directly electedSuperior Mayor (Alcalde mayor) and has a 45-member council, both serving four-year terms. Bogotá is subdivided into 20 localities (localidades) each with their own JAL of at least 7 members and a local mayor appointed by the superior mayor from a list submitted by the JAL.[5]
Mayors and governors may not serve consecutive terms, but may be reelected to non-consecutive terms. Members of assemblies, councils and local administrative boards have no term limits.
