National and Provincial Elections 2005

Campaigning & Balloting

17 August-15 September -- Official campaign period

18 September -- Election Day

19 September-9 October -- Ballot count

10-21 October -- Provisional results released; period for filing complaints

22 October -- Announcement of official results


Candidates & Ballots

30 April-23 May -- Nomination of candidates

4-9 June -- Candidate lists displayed by Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB)

10 June-1 July -- JEMB adjudicates challenges to registration of candidates

2-7 July -- Period for candidates to respond

12 July -- Certification of final candidate lists

23 July-10 September -- Ballots printed and distributed


2004 Presidential Election

9 July -- Election date announced; electoral calendar published

10 July -- Nominations open

29 July -- Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB) publishes preliminary list of candidates

31 July -- End of voter registration in most provinces

2 August -- Deadline for public objections. Deadline for JEMB to notify candidates of any shortcomings in nominations

9 August -- Deadline for rectification of deficient nominations

10 August -- JEMB publishes final list of candidates. Media Commission established

24 August -- Deadline for entry of voter-registration data

29 Aug - 2 Sept -- Period for exhibition of and challenges to campaigns

7 September -- Official campaigning begins

14 September -- JEMB determines all challenges to voters' lists

24 September -- JEMB certifies and exhibits final voter rolls

6 October -- End of official campaigning. Blackout period begins

9 October -- Election Day

7 December -- Inauguration Day. Hamid Karzai sworn in for five-year term as country's first directly elected president

Source: JEMB