[4] Incumbent President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud of the Peace, Unity, and Development Party (Kulmiye) did not run for a second term.

[5] The result was a victory for ruling Kulmiye party candidate Muse Bihi Abdi, who received 55% of the vote.

The candidate for the Justice and Development was Faysal Ali Warabe, who had unsuccessfully contested the two previous presidential elections.

[11] The report by the Development Planning Unit of University College London concluded that "Throughout the election period, Somalilanders demonstrated their support for the rule of law and constitutional process, voting peacefully and in significant numbers and the mission applauds this ongoing commitment to peaceful participation in an impressively open electoral system.

"[11] On 21 November the NEC announced that Muse Bihi Abdi of the ruling Kulmiye party received 55% of the vote to emerge as the winner.