Gambia Election
Key Facts
- Count. 12 of 18 aspirants had filed nomination papers by Monday 9 November; six withdrew.
- Dates. Filing runs 3 to 14 November; Gambians vote on Saturday 5 December 2026.
- Cleared. Only Talib Ahmed Bensouda of the Unite Party fully meets the requirements so far.
- Hurdles. Four filings lack the D1 million deposit in dalasi, the local currency (about US$13,400); two candidates face citizenship checks.
- Prediction markets. Polymarket, a prediction-market platform, gives President Adama Barrow 80.5% and opposition leader Ousainou Darboe 16.5% to win (10 November, 3:27 p.m. ET).
The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says 12 of the 18 people who collected nomination forms had filed by Monday 9 November, while six pulled out. Filing stays open until Saturday 14 November, and only one candidate has fully cleared the checks so far.
Who Has Filed and Who Has Walked Away
The IEC, the body that runs Gambian elections, said 12 of 18 would-be candidates had submitted papers by Monday 9 November. Six withdrew: the All Inclusive Party, the Gambia Action Party, the National Unity Party and three independents, including Musa Jallow and Alkali Cham.
IEC chairperson Joseph Colley said filing opened on 3 November and closes on 14 November, so more papers are still possible. The commission has not yet announced its final list of approved candidates.
Why Four Filings Are Stuck
Candidates must pay a deposit of D1 million (about US$13,400 at D74.8 to the dollar) and collect 5,000 voter signatures nationwide, with regional minimums such as 200 in the Kerewan area. The IEC did not process four filings because the deposit was unpaid: the Democratic Party and independents including Joseph Henry Joof.
The Gambia Labour Party’s filing for its candidate, Dukureh, was also held back. The IEC said he publicly acknowledged holding dual citizenship, and it sent his senior secondary school certificate to the relevant authorities for verification.
The commission has not ruled on his case. Our nomination schedule explains the full list of documents required.
Signature Gaps for the Rest
Seven filings were processed, and only one is complete. Bensouda needed no further documents or signatures, the IEC said.
- Modou Lamin Sima (Alliance of Progressive Citizens): 1,040 more signatures nationally.
- Ansu Sanneh (National Builders Party): 379 more nationally, plus citizenship checks.
- Kebba Bojang (National Democratic Party): 1,914 more nationally, and his school certificate is being verified.
- Bakary K. Badjie (independent): 2,310 more nationally, plus gaps in six areas.
- Ebrima Tabora Manneh (People’s Alliance Party): 1,507 more nationally.
- Isatou Touray (independent): 12 more signatures in the Kerewan area.
What Prediction Markets Say
These are bets, not polls. On Polymarket, a prediction-market platform where traders stake real money, Barrow, the president, stands at 80.5%, Darboe, leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party, at 16.5%, Badjie at 1.9% and Bensouda at 1.1%, with about US$18,475 traded as of 3:27 p.m. ET on 10 November 2026.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
The final candidate list decides who voters can choose on Saturday 5 December. Anyone with family or business ties in the Gambia should watch the IEC’s announcement rather than early party claims.
Our report on Bensouda’s resignation covers the one candidate who has cleared the checks. Our guide to the electoral system explains how the vote works.
What Is Not Known
The IEC breakdown reported so far does not name Barrow or Darboe, and we could not confirm whether either has filed. It is also unclear how many more aspirants will file before the Saturday 14 November deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Gambia’s presidential election?
Gambians vote on Saturday 5 December 2026. Filing of candidate papers runs from 3 to 14 November.
How many aspirants have filed?
The IEC said 12 of 18 aspirants had submitted papers by Monday 9 November. Six withdrew, and only Talib Ahmed Bensouda has fully cleared the checks so far.
What does it take to run for president?
A candidate must pay a D1 million deposit (about US$13,400) and collect 5,000 voter signatures nationwide. The IEC also checks citizenship and school certificates.
Sources: Statements by the Independent Electoral Commission of The Gambia, including chairperson Joseph Colley, 9 and 10 November 2026; Polymarket market data, 10 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error