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The 2021 Central Tibetan Administration general election elected its next leader, the Sikyong, for the Central Tibetan Administration, a government-in-exile of Tibet based in India. Candidate Penpa Tsering won the election and succeeded Dr. Lobsang Sangay, who had served two consecutive terms as Sikyong. [1]
The first Tibetans to publicly announce their proposed candidacy for the position were former minister Dolma Gyari; former minister, representative of the Dalai Lama in America and acting president of the Tibet Fund Lobsang Nyandak; [2] and member of parliament Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok. [3]
Kelsang Dorjee Aukatsang, Tashi Wangdu, and Penpa Tsering then announced their candidacies on 2 September 2020. [4] Ngodup Dongchung announced his candidacy on 9 September, [5] and Tashi Topgyal on 10 September. [6]
Throughout 2020, a civil society initiative called Smartvote Tibet [7] invited Tibetans to submit questions for Sikyong and MP candidates in order to build an informed electorate. Smartvote Tibet is an initiative formed by a group of Tibetans. [8] the candidates answer questions submitted on a wide range of current issues. Then, voters can answer the same set of questions, after which they receive a list of candidates who best match their preferences.
The project Smartvote Tibet was covered by Tibetan media outlets such as Radio Free Europe, [9] Voice of Tibet [10] and Phayul. [11]
 | This article needs to be updated.(September 2025) |
Hundreds of voters, most wearing facemasks, using hand sanitizer, and maintaining social distancing, voted in Dharamshala, India. [12]
Following the primary, the two Sikyong candidates receiving the highest vote share move on to the second round. The date for the second round was set for 20 March. [13] [14]
