Presidential elections were held in Belarus on Sunday, 9 August 2020. Early voting began on August 4 and ran until August 8.
The president was elected directly to serve for five years. Incumbent Alexander Lukashenko was re-elected to run for a sixth term in office (closing polls totaling about 80% of all votes in his favor), having won every presidential election since 1994.
The President of Belarus is elected using the two-round system. If no candidate obtains over 50% of the vote, a second round is held with the top two candidates. The winner of the second round is elected. A turnout quorum of 50% is applied.
Despite the two-round system being in place, a second round has not been required since 1994, with Lukashenko winning a supermajority of votes in the first round in each subsequent election under dubious circumstances.
Five candidates have reportedly run for the presidency in Belarus this year: incumbent President Alexander; Siarhei Cherachen, Chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Assembly; Hanna Kanapatskaya, Member of Parliament (2016–2019); Andrey Dmitriev, Co-chairman of the political movement “Tell the Truth”; Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, spouse of Belarusian YouTuber and activist Siarhei Tsikhanouski
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, 37, entered in place of her jailed husband and went on to lead large opposition rallies.
But a state TV exit poll showed Mr. Lukashenko winning 79.7% of the vote.
The opposition had said it expected the vote to be rigged. Protesters have already clashed with police.
After voting on Sunday, Mr. Lukashenko said he did not see Mrs. Tikhanouskaya as a threat, and denied imposing repressive measures on the opposition.
“They are not worth enough to carry out any repression against them,” he said, according to the BBC.
In a news conference on Sunday evening, Mrs. Tikhanouvskaya said she did not trust that Mr. Lukashenko had really won the election.
"I believe my eyes, and I see that the majority is with us," she said.
