1981 Central African presidential election

Presidential elections were held in the Central African Republic on 15 March 1981. They were the first national elections of any sort since 1964, the first elections since the overthrow of longtime ruler Jean-Bédel Bokassa in 1979, and the first multiparty presidential elections since independence. Five candidates—incumbent president David Dacko, Ange-Félix Patassé, François Pehoua, Henri Maïdou and Abel Goumba—stood in the election.

1981 Central African presidential election

5 January 1981
Turnout	76.66%
Nominee David Dacko Ange-Félix Patassé François Pehoua Party UDC MLPC GIR Popular vote 374,027 283,739 39,661 Percentage 51.10% 38.77% 5.42%
President before election David Dacko UDC Elected President David Dacko UDC

The elections were won by Dacko, who had been restored to power two years earlier as part of Operation Barracuda, which overthrew Emperor Bokassa I (Jean-Bédel Bokassa). Dacko tried to pose as the inheritor of Barthélemy Boganda, the national hero who founded the country.

Results

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	David Dacko	Central African Democratic Union	374,027	51.10
	Ange-Félix Patassé	Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People	283,739	38.77
	François Pehoua	Independent Grouping for Reflection	39,661	5.42
	Henri Maïdou	Republican Progressive Party	24,007	3.28
	Abel Goumba	Oubanguian Patriotic Front	10,512	1.44
Total			731,946	100.00
Valid votes			731,946	98.29
Invalid/blank votes			12,742	1.71
Total votes			744,688	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			971,395	76.66
Source: EISA