The International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) congratulates the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) and its Central Election Commission (CEC) on successfully holding democratic, free and fair elections on 1 February. In the preliminary election, utilizing one of the world’s most innovative decentralized voting systems, tens of thousands of Tibetans around the world exercised their fundamental right to determine their own future. Through this election, the Tibetan people are peacefully and democratically choosing the 45 members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE) and the political head of the CTA known as the Sikyong.
“ICT and all supporters of democracy and freedom around the world congratulate the CTA and the Tibetan people on holding free, fair, and democratic elections to choose their political leaders. Tibet belongs to the Tibetan people, and they alone will determine its future,” said ICT President Tencho Gyatso. “We encourage the United States and likeminded partners to continue to advocate for dialogue and for the preservation of Tibet’s unique cultural, linguistic, and religious heritage.”
The CEC will formally announce the results of the preliminary round on 25 February. The final round of voting is scheduled for Sunday 26 April. Elected CTA leaders including the Sikyong and the Members of the TPiE will serve five-year terms from May 2026 to May 2031.
The Tibetan Parliament system was introduced by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1960. The Sikyong, then known as Kalon Tripa (Chairman of the Cabinet), was appointed by His Holiness the Dalai Lama beginning in 2000, and the position has been directly elected by the Tibetan diaspora since 2011.
Tibetan elections 2026 overview
The global Tibetan diaspora, encompassing Tibetans in over 30 countries, will participate in elections in February and April of 2026 to elect the leaders of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), which is recognized by Tibetans around the world as their legitimate government. Tibetans will choose the political head of the CTA, known as the Sikyong, and 45 members of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile (TPiE).
The CTA in Dharamsala, India, is composed of three pillars: the judiciary as represented by the Tibetan Supreme Justice Commission; the legislature as represented by the TPiE; and the executive as represented by the Sikyong and his cabinet. While the three Justice Commissioners are elected by the TPiE, the Sikyong and the 45 Members of the TPiE are freely, democratically and directly elected by Tibetans around the world outside of Tibet. Political authority has rested solely with the elected CTA leadership since 2011.
The autonomous Central Election Commission (CEC) conducts the elections, including deciding and publishing the schedule and guidelines.
Election schedule
The 2026 CTA election is a two-stage process –preliminary elections to nominate candidates and general elections to decide the winners. Preliminary elections are scheduled for Sunday 1 February and the general elections are scheduled for Sunday 26 April. The tenure of the current TPiE has been shortened to enable Sikyong and TPiE elections to be held concurrently.
Parliamentary (TPiE) seat allocation
For seats in the TPiE, Tibetan voters outside of Tibet exercise a mixed system of one-person, one-vote as well as plural voting. Tibetans living in the Indian subcontinent (India, Nepal, Bhutan) get to vote for 10 members (out of which at least two should be women) based on their traditional provincial origin, whether from Utsang, Kham or Amdo. Tibetans living outside of South Asia do not vote for provincial seats; those living in Europe can vote for two TPiE seats, as can Tibetans living in the Americas. Tibetans in Australasia and other Asian countries outside of the Indian subcontinent elected one Member of the TPiE.
Tibetans who belong to the clergy get two additional votes to choose from their respective religious lineages, whether Sakya, Kagyu, Gelug, Nyingma or Bon. The TPiE includes 10 seats for religious representatives.
All Tibetans in exile have the same one vote to choose the Sikyong.
Voting population
All Tibetans aged 18 years or older may vote. Candidates for the TPiE must be 25 years old and candidates for Sikyong must be 35 years old. A candidate must possess a valid Green Book, the popular name for the booklet that records one’s voluntary contribution to the CTA and that has come to be recognized as a definitive marker of Tibetan identity. 91,042 voters have registered for the 2026 election cycle – 56,749 from the Indian subcontinent, and 34,293 from rest of the world.
Announcement of the 2026 results
For the Preliminary Vote: Votes will be counted by the respective local election commissions on February 3, (to avoid possible impact from the different time zones where Tibetans reside) and local results announced. The formal results will be compiled and announced by the CEC in Dharamsala on 25 February 25. After giving time for candidates to withdraw their name, the final list of candidates will be announced by the CEC on 3 April.
For the General Elections: Vote counting will begin on April 28 by the respective local election commissions and local announcement made after completion. Final results will be announced by the CEC on 13 May. Elected CTA leaders will be sworn in on May 31 for five-year terms.
Official Slogan: The CEC announced that the official slogan for the 2026 elections will be ‘I AM TIBET, I VOTE FOR TIBET,’ which the CEC said is “signifying unity and strength of the Tibetan people.”