| Country: | Kiribati |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Previous Election: | 2015–16 Kiribati parliamentary election |
| Election Date: | 14 April 2020 (first round) |
| Next Election: | 2024 Kiribati parliamentary election |
| Next Year: | 2024 |
| Seats For Election: | 44 of the 45 seats in the House of Assembly |
| Majority Seats: | 23 |
| Turnout: | 86.84% (first round) 87.88% (second round) |
| Image1: | File:Taneti Maamau 2022 (cropped).jpg |
| Leader1: | Taneti Maamau |
| Leaders Seat1: | Onotoa |
| Party1: | Tobwaan Kiribati Party |
| Last Election1: | 31 |
| Seats1: | 22 |
| Seat Change1: | 9 |
| Leader2: | Tessie Eria Lambourne |
| Leaders Seat2: | Abemama |
| Party2: | Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party |
| Last Election2: | 13 |
| Seats2: | 22 |
| Seat Change2: | 9 |
| Before Party: | Tobwaan Kiribati Party |
| Before Election: | Tebuai Uaai |
| After Party: | Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party |
| After Election: | Tangariki Reete |
| Speaker | |
Parliamentary elections were held in Kiribati in 2020 to elect members of the House of Assembly. The elections were originally planned on 7 April 2020, with a second round of voting to be held on 15 April 2020.[1] However, in late March the Electoral Commission changed the voting date to 14 April 2020,[2] with a second round on 21 April 2020.[3]
The elections resulted in President Taneti Maamau's pro-China Tobwaan Kiribati Party losing a majority in parliament to parties either supportive of Taiwan or critical of his handling of diplomatic recognition of China.[4] However, on 22 May, during the first meeting of the new House, the 44 MPs were equally divided on two benches, with 22 supporting the new Boutokaan Kiribati Moa Party and 22 the Tobwaan Kiribati Party.
Of the 45 members of the House of Assembly, 44 were elected in 23 single- and multi-member constituencies (seven with one seat, eleven with two seats and five with three seats)[5] using a modified two-round system. One member was chosen by the Rabi Council of Leaders to represent the Banaban community on Rabi Island in Fiji, while the Speaker is elected after the elections, from outside the House of Assembly, and does not participate in votes.[6]
Voters have as many votes to cast as the number of seats in their constituencies. In the first round a candidate is elected if they receive more than 50% of the ballots cast.[5] Where not all seats are filled, a second round is held with the number of candidates being equal to the number of seats remaining to be filled plus two, with those who received the fewest votes in the first round being eliminated. A tie in the second round results in a third round of voting.[7]
In the 2020 Kiribati parliamentary elections, the Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP) retained its position as the largest party, securing 13 out of 44 seats. Following the elections, the Boutokaan te Koaua (BTK) and the Kiribati Moa Party (KMP) merged to form the Boutokaan Kiribati Moa (BKM).
In the newly elected Parliament, TKP and BTK, along with their allies, each held 22 seats. Tangariki Reete became the first woman in Kiribati to be elected Speaker of the House of Assembly. The presidential candidates endorsed by the House were the outgoing President Taneti Maamau (TKP) and Banuera Berina (BKM).
David Christopher was elected by the Rabi Council of Leaders on 29 April 2020.
Taneti Maamau was re-elected President on 22 June 2020. These elections were the first held after Kiribati switched allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2019. The electoral campaign focused on climate change, and President Maamau pledged to boost tourism in the country. The political landscape saw defections and party mergers, with notable criticism of the decision to switch alliances.[8]
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Teuea Toatu | 1,114 | 49.87 | 1,128 | |||
| Tekena Tiroa | 1,060 | 47.45 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Betero Atanibora | 945 | 42.30 | 974 | |||
| bgcolor= | Kautu Tenaua | 899 | 40.24 | 1,025 | |||
| Arimaere Tambwereti | 508 | 22.74 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Total | 4,526 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 2,234 | 99.91 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2 | 0.09 | |||||
| Total votes | 2,236 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,566 | 87.14 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Tinte Itinteang | 2,111 | 47.74 | 2,352 | |||
| bgcolor= | Tebao Awerika | 1,519 | 34.35 | 1,993 | |||
| bgcolor= | Ioteba Redfern | 1,473 | 33.31 | 2,041 | |||
| bgcolor= | 1,252 | 28.31 | 1,950 | ||||
| Martin Tofinga | 1,153 | 26.07 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Rutiano Benetito | 729 | 16.49 | |||||
| Kianteata Teabo | 728 | 16.46 | |||||
| Toani Benson | 396 | 8.96 | |||||
| Susan Tebaau | 103 | 2.33 | |||||
| John Tabito Tokaibure | 93 | 2.10 | |||||
| Total | 9,557 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 4,422 | 99.68 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 14 | 0.32 | |||||
| Total votes | 4,436 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 6,352 | 69.84 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Koraubati Remuera | 705 | 66.01 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Vincent Tong | 475 | 44.48 | 498 | |||
| David Collins | 372 | 34.83 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Kaure Babo | 326 | 30.52 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Total | 1,878 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 1,068 | 99.81 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2 | 0.19 | |||||
| Total votes | 1,070 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,103 | 97.01 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Ribanataake Tiwau | 415 | 48.20 | 390 | |||
| bgcolor= | Tauanei Marea | 379 | 44.02 | 436 | |||
| Rimeta Beniamina | 350 | 40.65 | 387 | ||||
| Ngutu Metutera Awira | 214 | 24.85 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Matana Anterea | 154 | 17.89 | |||||
| Total | 1,512 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 861 | 99.77 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 2 | 0.23 | |||||
| Total votes | 863 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 899 | 96.00 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| Dennis Waysang Kumkee | 588 | 43.11 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Ieremia Tabai | 530 | 38.86 | 640 | |||
| bgcolor= | Bonteman Tabera | 482 | 35.34 | 629 | |||
| Elliot Ali | 386 | 28.30 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Teekoa Iuta | 223 | 16.35 | |||||
| Toromon Katua | 62 | 4.55 | |||||
| Total | 2,271 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 1,364 | 99.78 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 3 | 0.22 | |||||
| Total votes | 1,367 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 1,431 | 95.53 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Harry Tekaiti | 1,568 | 48.45 | 1,718 | |||
| Atarake Nataara | 841 | 25.99 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Terieta Mwemwenikeaki | 826 | 25.53 | 1,398 | |||
| bgcolor= | Boutu Bateriki Baare | 777 | 24.01 | 1,197 | |||
| Emil Uri Tuuti | 771 | 23.83 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Nabuti Mwemwenikarawa | 604 | 18.67 | |||||
| Baraam Tetaeka | 449 | 13.88 | |||||
| Teiraoi Tetabea | 389 | 12.02 | |||||
| Taitii Waitie | 334 | 10.32 | |||||
| Maiaa Iona | 270 | 8.34 | |||||
| Total | 6,829 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 3,236 | 99.91 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 3 | 0.09 | |||||
| Total votes | 3,239 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 3,649 | 88.76 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Shiu-Fung Jong | 3,202 | 4,081 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Taoaba Kaiea | 2,846 | 3,092 | ||||
| bgcolor= | Taabeta Teakai | 2,828 | 4,180 | ||||
| Kourabi Nenem | 1,686 | align=center colspan=2 | |||||
| Baantarawa Ietimeta | 1,213 | align=center colspan=2 | |||||
| Semilota Finauga | 800 | ||||||
| Tabuia Taboree | 518 | ||||||
| Barry Nawere | 398 | ||||||
| Mareko Tofinga | 383 | ||||||
| Beniera Kaitia | 257 | ||||||
| Eritoa Tewakura Kookia | 257 | ||||||
| Takaria Ubwaitoi | 252 | ||||||
| Nokite Abiteti | 227 | ||||||
| Tamuera Rikate | align=center colspan=2 | ||||||
| Teimarawa Itakara | align=center colspan=2 | ||||||
| Tekeeua Kauongo | align=center colspan=2 | ||||||
| Tirikai Tiraim | align=center colspan=2 | ||||||
| Total | |||||||
| Valid votes | 8,514 | 99.89 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 9 | 0.11 | |||||
| Total votes | 8,523 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 10,454 | 81.53 | |||||
| Party ! | First round | Second round | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | ||||
| bgcolor= | Booti Nauan | 286 | 39.89 | 315 | |||
| Titabu Tabane | 241 | 33.61 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Teorae Kabure | 190 | 26.50 | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Total | 717 | 100.00 | |||||
| Valid votes | 717 | 99.58 | |||||
| Invalid/blank votes | 3 | 0.42 | |||||
| Total votes | 720 | 100.00 | |||||
| Registered voters/turnout | 768 | 93.75 | |||||
| bgcolor= | Tekiau Aretateta | 510 | |||
| bgcolor= | Tewaaki Kobae | 483 | |||
| Edwin Baraniko | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Teakin Iakobwa | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Teraawati Kinta | align=center colspan=2 | ||||
| Total | |||||
| Valid votes | 788 | 100.00 | |||
| Invalid/blank votes | 0 | 0.00 | |||
| Total votes | 788 | 100.00 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 850 | 92.71 | |||