This chapter explores the history of politics and elections in The Gambia, how the IEC was

formed and its constitutional backing, achievements and challenges as the country prepared
for the polls. The voting system in place is also discussed.

Brief History of Elections in The Gambia

During the late 17th and throughout the 18th century, England and France struggled for
political and commercial supremacy in the region of the Gambia and Senegal Rivers. At the
treaty of Versailles, in 1783, Great Britain was given possession of The Gambia, but France
retained a tiny enclave at Albreda on the north bank of the River Gambia, which was later
ceded to the British in 1857. (Commission, 2021)1

Commission, I. E. (2021, November 16). A brief History of Politics and Elections in The Gambia. Retrieved
from https://iec.gm/about-iec/history/