What will happen if no candidate gets 50% in the Sri Lankan Presidential elections?

Sept 20 – The Lawyers’ Collective urges voters to use their votes to support democratic governance, the rule of law, and an independent judiciary.

Key Points for Voters:

Voting Guidelines:

• You have the right to vote for your preferred candidate for President by marking “X” or “1” next to their name. If you mark “X,” you cannot mark any second or third preferences.
• You can also vote for your second and third preferred candidates by marking “2” and “3” next to their names. This is optional.

Counting Votes:

1. First Count: A candidate wins if they receive more than 50% of the valid votes.
2. Second Count: If no candidate gets over 50% of the votes:

• Only the top two candidates remain; all others are eliminated.
• Ballots of eliminated candidates are reviewed for second or third preferences.
• If a second preference is marked for one of the top two candidates, it counts as a vote for that candidate. If the second preference is for an eliminated candidate but the third preference is for a top candidate, it counts for the top candidate.
• The candidate with the most votes in the final count wins.

The Lawyers’ Collective highlights that, in an election with multiple leading candidates, voters might consider marking “2” and “3” for other candidates of their choice, along with their first choice. However, marking second and third preferences is optional and entirely up to the voter.