Gambia Presidential Election Is on Saturday 5 December
GAMBIA · ELECTIONS
Key Facts
- —The vote The Gambia elects its president on Saturday 5 December 2026, with polling stations open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time.
- —The race President Adama Barrow seeks a third term against opposition leader Ousainou Darboe and newcomer Talib Bensouda, among others.
- —Timetable Candidate nominations run from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 14 November 2026, both dates inclusive.
- —How people vote Voters drop a marble into the drum of their chosen candidate instead of marking a paper ballot.
- —Entry for US citizens A visa is required, sold on arrival for US$100 to US$105 in cash, plus a US$20 cash fee on entry and exit.
- —Safety rating The US State Department lists The Gambia at Level 2, exercise increased caution, in an advisory dated 16 January 2026.
- —Prediction markets Polymarket gives President Adama Barrow a 65.5% chance of winning the election (20 October, 10:09 a.m. ET).
The Gambia presidential election takes place on Saturday 5 December 2026, and President Adama Barrow is seeking a third term. For US readers, it is a key test for a small West African democracy that ended Yahya Jammeh’s 22-year rule in 2016.
Foreign visitors cannot vote, but anyone in the country that week will feel the campaign, the crowds and the security presence. This guide covers the timetable, the candidates, the marble ballot, entry rules and what is still unconfirmed.
What the Election Is and Why It Matters
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the body that runs Gambian elections, set the Gambia presidential election for Saturday 5 December 2026. Chairman Joseph Colley announced the date in October 2025, when he launched the commission’s 2026-2027 election calendar.
The Gambia presidential election uses a first-past-the-post system, so the candidate with the most valid votes wins. There is no second round, even if the winner takes less than half of the total.
Barrow, who leads the National People’s Party (NPP), won the previous Gambia presidential election on 4 December 2021 with 53.2 percent. Opposition leader Ousainou Darboe took 27.7 percent and Mama Kandeh took 12.3 percent, according to IEC figures.
The Gambia’s constitution sets no limit on presidential terms, so Barrow can run again. Critics, mostly in the opposition, point to a stalled constitutional reform process as the reason no limit exists.
Turnout in 2021 was 89.34 percent of 962,157 registered voters, which shows how seriously Gambians take polling day. For a closer look at the politics, read our analysis of the third-term bid.
Who Is Running and What the Polls Say
Adama Barrow leads the NPP and is running for a third term. Essa Mbye Faal, a former rival who ran in 2021, joined his NPP-led coalition at McCarthy Square in Banjul on 27 September.
Ousainou Darboe has led the United Democratic Party (UDP), the largest opposition party, since it was founded in 1996. He won its ticket for the sixth time in September 2025, The Point reported.
Talib Ahmed Bensouda, mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council, left the UDP and now leads UNITE, registered on 1 July 2026. He pitches it as a youth-focused, technocratic alternative with plans for jobs, electricity and water.
Mamma Kandeh’s Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the NPP-led alliance, according to a presidential adviser. Exiled ex-president Yahya Jammeh picked lawmaker Almameh Gibba to lead No To Alliance, a splinter group of his APRC party.
A survey by civil society group Gambia Participates in August gave Barrow 32 percent, Darboe 25 percent and Bensouda 19 percent. Seventeen percent were undecided, and both the UDP and the presidency questioned the poll.
Opposition forces are split into rival alliances, which matters in a one-round Gambia presidential election. Our report on the three opposition camps explains who backs whom.
How Voting Works With Marbles
In the Gambia presidential election, voters do not mark paper ballots but drop a marble into the drum of their chosen candidate. Each drum is wrapped in the candidate’s party colour and carries a photo and a party symbol.
Staff dip the voter’s left forefinger in indelible ink before handing over the marble. An election officer then listens for the sound of the marble hitting the drum.
Polls open at 8 a.m. and close at 5 p.m., but anyone still in the queue at closing time may vote. The Gambia keeps Greenwich Mean Time, so polls open at 3 a.m. Eastern time in New York.
Voters need a Gambian voter’s card and a name on the register, so visitors cannot take part. Each voter must go to the polling station where he or she is registered.
In 2021 the IEC chairman declared the winner on 5 December, the day after the vote. Watch the commission’s website for official results rather than social media rumours.
The Timetable From Nominations to Results
Chairman Colley said on Thursday 10 September that candidate nominations run from Tuesday 3 to Saturday 14 November 2026, both dates inclusive. Nomination forms became available from 21 September.
The IEC website lists a campaign from Monday 9 November to Wednesday 2 December and a withdrawal deadline on Thursday 26 November. It also lists candidate scrutiny, the check of nomination papers, for Friday 6 November.
After the Gambia presidential election, Gambians elect the National Assembly, the parliament, on 10 April 2027. Councillors follow on 22 May 2027, and mayors and chairpersons on 26 June 2027.
Lawmakers approved a 2027 budget of D607.8 million (about US$8.1 million) for the commission, cutting D61.9 million (about US$830,000) from its request. Local amounts in this guide use 74.6 dalasi to the US dollar, the rate on 20 October 2026.
Where the Vote Happens and How to Get There
The Gambia presidential election is held at polling stations nationwide, and in 2021 there were 1,554 of them in 53 constituencies. The commission’s headquarters, Election House, stands on the Bertil Harding Highway in Kanifing East Layout.
British tour operators sell The Gambia as a winter-sun destination, with direct flights from London Gatwick and Manchester. One popular beach base is Kololi, where The Gambia Experience lists the Senegambia Beach Hotel.
From the United States, Royal Air Maroc lists round-trip fares to Banjul from US$505 out of Washington Dulles, 16 December to 1 January. That was a fare snapshot on 20 October, not a guarantee, and fares for 5 December itself may differ.
If you will be there for the Gambia presidential election, book flights and hotels early, because December is winter-sun season. Allow extra time for transfers if rallies or road checks slow traffic on the days around the vote.
Tips for US and Foreign Visitors
The State Department says US citizens need a visa, which you can get before you travel or on arrival. A visa on arrival costs US$100 to US$105, payable in cash in US dollars or dalasi.
A security fee of US$20 applies on entry and again on exit, also in cash. Carry enough small bills, because these fees are not paid by card.
Your passport must be valid for the length of your stay and have one blank page for the entry stamp. No vaccinations are required unless you arrive from or via a country at risk of yellow fever.
The State Department rates The Gambia Level 2, exercise increased caution, in an advisory dated 16 January 2026. It cites crime, unrest and weak health care, and notes a separatist rebel group in the Casamance region of southern Senegal.
The advisory warns of crime, so avoid walking alone, including on beaches and after dark, and use only ATMs inside banks. It also urges travellers to carry medical evacuation insurance and enough prescription medicine for the whole trip.
Avoid rallies, protests and large crowds ahead of the Gambia presidential election. On 20 October, Barrow called a candlelight protest over power cuts in Greater Banjul a treasonous crime, Gambiana reported.
Opposition leaders say police have limited their gatherings, a dispute covered earlier earlier this month. Stay flexible, because routes in Banjul and Kanifing could close with little notice.
Enrol in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program before you go, so the embassy can reach you in an emergency. Our country guide covers the wider picture.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket gives Barrow a 65.5% chance of winning, with US$12,462 traded on the event as of 20 October, 10:09 a.m. ET. Trading is thin, with only US$222 traded in the past 24 hours.
The market lists only Barrow by name so far, and its odds can swing on a few small bets. Treat the figure as a rough signal, not a forecast.
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 Is Not Confirmed Yet
Sources differ on nomination dates: the chairman said 3 to 14 November, while the IEC website lists 30 October to 5 November. We use the chairman’s dates, and the commission’s website had not been changed to match on 20 October.
The final list of candidates for the Gambia presidential election is not known until nominations close and the IEC checks the papers. It is also unclear whether Jammeh’s No To Alliance will field a candidate or back another party.
The opposition UDP says it wants answers about roughly 14,000 disputed figures in the 2026 supplementary voter registration. Darboe said the party has not decided on a protest or a court case, The Point reported on 19 October.
We found no published curfew, alcohol ban or election-day movement rules for visitors. Check the IEC website and the US embassy in Banjul before you fly.
The commission has not said when it will publish results. In 2021 it declared the winner the day after polling.
What Comes Next
Nominations open on Tuesday 3 November, which is when the field of candidates should become clear. The campaign period listed by the IEC starts on Monday 9 November.
Voters go to the polls for the Gambia presidential election on Saturday 5 December, and the winner should be known within days. Parliamentary elections follow on 10 April 2027.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Gambia presidential election?
The Gambia presidential election is on Saturday 5 December 2026. Polling stations are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time, according to the IEC.
Do US citizens need a visa to visit The Gambia?
Yes, a visa is required, and it can be bought on arrival for US$100 to US$105 in cash. A US$20 cash security fee applies on entry and exit, according to the State Department.
Can foreign visitors vote in the election?
No, voters need a Gambian voter’s card and a name on the electoral register. Visitors may watch the campaign, but they should avoid rallies and protests.
Sources: Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of The Gambia, Presidential Election Day (official calendar), accessed 20 October 2026; IEC of The Gambia, How to Vote, accessed 20 October 2026; IEC of The Gambia, official calendar: Presidential Nomination, Candidate Scrutiny, Campaign Period, Withdrawal Deadline, accessed 20 October 2026; Gambiana, Presidential hopefuls get November deadline for 2026 election, 10 September 2026; The Point, 2026 presidential election set for Dec 5 – IEC Chairman, 10 October 2025; Dubawa, Gambia’s 2026 presidential election: who are the main political parties, 2026; FactCheck Gambia, Number of invalid votes recorded in the 2021 presidential election, 10 December 2021; The Point, Parties dispute polls finding that puts Barrow ahead of Dec election, 24 August 2026; The Point, Darboe named UDP flagbearer for 2026 presidential election, 11 September 2025; The Point, UDP denies bid to discredit IEC, 19 October 2026; Gambiana, Essa Faal unveiled as Barrow coalition partner, 27 September 2026; Gambiana, Jammeh picks Almameh Gibba to lead APRC splinter group, 17 October 2026; Gambiana, Barrow brands Banjul North MP’s candlelight protest treasonous, 20 October 2026; Gambiana, Gambia lawmakers cut IEC budget by D61.9m, 16 October 2026; US State Department, The Gambia travel advisory (Level 2), 16 January 2026; US State Department, The Gambia country information (entry, visa), accessed 20 October 2026; Royal Air Maroc, flights to Gambia (fare snapshot), 20 October 2026; The Gambia Experience (tour operator), winter-sun holidays, accessed 20 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief