, optional for other eligible voters

Executive branch: chief of state: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano
(since 22 January 2000) selected president following coup that deposed
President Jamil MAHUAD; Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28
January 2000) elected by National Congress from a slate of candidates
submitted by President NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief
of state and head of government elections: formerly, the president
and vice president were elected on the same ticket by popular vote for
four-year term (no reelection); election last held 31 May 1998; runoff
election held 12 July 1998 (next to be held 20 October 2002) head of
government: President Gustavo NOBOA Bejarano (since 22 January 2000)
selected president following coup that deposed President Jamil MAHUAD;
Vice President Pedro PINTO Rubianes (since 28 January 2000) elected by
National Congress from a slate of candidates submitted by President
NOBOA; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president election results:
results of the last election prior to the coup were: Jamil MAHUAD elected
president; percent of vote - 51% note: a military-indigenous coup toppled
democratically-elected President Jamil MAHAUD on 21 January 2000; the
military quickly handed power over to Vice President Gustavo NOBOA on
22 January 2000; National Congress then elected a new vice president
from a slate of candidates submitted by NOBOA; the new administration
is scheduled to complete the remainder of MAHAUD's term, due to expire
in January 2003

Legislative branch: unicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional
(123 seats; 20 members are popularly elected at-large nationally to
serve four-year terms; 103 members are popularly elected by province
to serve four-year terms) elections: last held 31 May 1998 (next to be
held 20 October 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%;
seats by party - DP 32, PSC 27, PRE 24, ID 18, P-NP 9, FRA 5, PCE 3,
MPD 2, CFP 1; note - defections by members of National Congress are
commonplace, resulting in frequent changes in the numbers of seats held
by the various parties

Judicial branch: Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (new justices are
elected by the full Supreme Court)

Political parties and leaders: Concentration of Popular Forces or CFP
[Averroes BUCARAM]; Democratic Left or ID [Rodrigo BORJA Cevallos];
Ecuadorian Conservative Party or PC