# 2024 Kiribati presidential election

Presidential elections were held in Kiribati on 25 October 2024, following parliamentary elections in August. Incumbent President Taneti Maamau of the Tobwaan Kiribati Party was re-elected with about 55% of the vote to Kaotitaake Kokoria's 42%. His inauguration took place on 1 November 2024.

## Background

The president is directly elected by plurality vote from three or four candidates nominated by and from among members of the House of Assembly. The parliament sits as soon as possible after the general election to elect a new Speaker and choose the candidates for the presidential election. If only three or four nominations are received, the Speaker declares those members to be the candidates for the election. If more than four nominations are received, parliament votes by secret ballot in two rounds to eliminate the surplus nominees. The Constitution does not (on its face) envisage a situation where fewer than three candidates are nominated, but the 2020 Kiribati presidential election proceeded with only two candidates. This was held to be constitutional by the High Court.

### Candidate selection

The 2024 parliamentary election resulted in a supermajority for the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party, which was then able to block the nomination of opposition party candidates for the presidential election when parliament sat on 13 September 2024. The TKP nominated incumbent president Taneti Maamau, alongside three other members of the TKP described as "dummy candidates": Bautaake Beia from Washington (Teraina), Riteta Iorome from Onotoa, and Kaotitaake Kokoria from Fanning (Tabuaeran), all first-time members of parliament.
Opposition leader Tessie Lambourne decried the move, saying "Kiribati is now a one-party state."

## Campaign

On 30 September 2024 the manifestos of three of the candidates were published. It was later reported that candidate Riteta Iorome had withdrawn.
Opposition figures, including former president Ieremia Tabai, called for a boycott of the election, in protest at the exclusion of opposition candidates. Prior to the election being held, Kaotitaake Kokoria defected away from the TKP to form a new alliance, with the support of two other MPs. Taneti Maamau was widely expected to retain his position.

## Results

| Candidate | Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
| | Taneti Maamau | Tobwaan Kiribati Party | 20,676 | 55.05 |
| | Kaotitaake Kokoria | Independent | 15,787 | 42.03 |
| | Bautaake Beia | Tobwaan Kiribati Party | 1,094 | 2.91 |
| Total | Total | Total | 37,557 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 37,557 | 99.70 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 114 | 0.30 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 37,671 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 54,776 | 68.77 |
| Source: Erikan Eribati Moantau (Facebook) - unofficial |||||

### By electoral district

Vote share by electoral district :
| Electoral district | Bautaake Beia | Kaotitaake Kokoria | Taneti Maamau | Valid | Invalid/ blank | Total | Registered voters | Turnout (%) |
| Abaiang | 81 | 967 | 1,043 | 2,091 | 4 | 2,095 | 3,176 | 66.0 |
| Abemama | 37 | 598 | 824 | 1,459 | 6 | 1,465 | 2,082 | 70.4 |
| Aranuka | 13 | 217 | 271 | 501 | 0 | 501 | 726 | 69.0 |
| Arorae | 16 | 303 | 64 | 383 | 0 | 383 | 530 | 72.3 |
| Banaba | 3 | 36 | 111 | 150 | 0 | 150 | 220 | 68.2 |
| Beru | 29 | 452 | 472 | 953 | 5 | 958 | 1,197 | 80.0 |
| Betio | 125 | 2,108 | 2,720 | 4,953 | 11 | 4,964 | 7,855 | 63.2 |
| Butaritari | 30 | 242 | 1,172 | 1,444 | 1 | 1,445 | 1,737 | 83.2 |
| Fanning (Tabuaeran) | 9 | 862 | 99 | 970 | 2 | 972 | 1,108 | 87.7 |
| Kiritimati (and Kanton) | 99 | 1,483 | 1,280 | 2,862 | 8 | 2,870 | 3,879 | 74.0 |
| Kuria | 7 | 314 | 155 | 476 | 2 | 478 | 683 | 70.0 |
| Maiana | 42 | 536 | 345 | 923 | 2 | 925 | 1,255 | 73.7 |
| Makin | 33 | 297 | 428 | 758 | 2 | 760 | 1,111 | 68.4 |
| Marakei | 40 | 211 | 851 | 1,102 | 0 | 1,102 | 1,550 | 71.1 |
| Nikunau | 31 | 269 | 639 | 939 | 2 | 941 | 1,143 | 82.3 |
| Nonouti | 27 | 661 | 390 | 1,074 | 0 | 1,078 | 1,484 | 72.6 |
| North Tabiteuea | 74 | 593 | 869 | 1,536 | 3 | 1,539 | 2,086 | 73.8 |
| Onotoa | 3 | 29 | 758 | 790 | 2 | 792 | 930 | 85.2 |
| Rural Tarawa (North Tarawa) | 87 | 936 | 1,655 | 2,678 | 17 | 2,695 | 4,183 | 64.4 |
| South Tabiteuea | 1 | 57 | 438 | 496 | 1 | 497 | 648 | 76.7 |
| Tamana | 7 | 125 | 142 | 274 | 0 | 274 | 420 | 65.2 |
| Tarawa Teinainano (South Tarawa) | 217 | 4,320 | 5,430 | 9,967 | 46 | 10,013 | 15,823 | 63.3 |
| Teraina | 83 | 171 | 520 | 774 | 0 | 774 | 950 | 81.5 |
| Total | 1,094 | 15,787 | 20,676 | 37,557 | 114 | 37,667 | 54,776 | 68.8 |
| Source: Erikan Eribati Moantau (Facebook) - unofficial |||||||||