First year

Voting from Abroad: The International IDEA Handbook

“Although this was not expressly contemplated in the electoral legislation, in November 1990 Colombian residents abroad were called on to participate in the election of members of a Constituent National Assembly, which prepared a new text of the constitution. Article 171 of the new constitution (1991) established that not only Colombian permanent residents abroad, but also those who were temporarily out of the country could vote. It also allowed residents abroad to vote in elections to the Senate, which took place for the first time in 1994.

Article 176 of the constitution also created a special electoral district in the Chamber of Representatives in order to ensure the participation of ethnic groups, political minorities and Colombians resident abroad. However, this did not come into effect until 2001, when Law no. 649 established that the special electoral district would have a total of five seats, one of which would be for a representative of Colombians residing abroad, two for black communities, one for indigenous communities and one for political minorities. This provision was first applied in 2002.”