2004 Belarusian parliamentary election

{{Short description|none}}

{{Infobox legislative election

| country = Belarus

| type = parliamentary

| flag_year = 1995

| previous_election = 2000

| next_election = 2008

| seats_for_election = All 110 seats in the House of Representatives

| majority_seats = 56

| turnout = 90.14%

| election_date = 17 October 2004 (first round)
27 October 2004 (second round)
20 March 2005 (third round)

| leader1 ={{ill|Tatsyana Holubeva|be|Таццяна Генадзеўна Голубева}}

| party1 = Communist Party of Belarus

| percentage1 = 5.49

| last_election1 = 6

| seats1 = 8

| leader2 = Mikhail Shimansky

| party2 = Belarusian Agrarian Party

| percentage2 = 2.38

| last_election2 = 5

| seats2 = 3

| leader3 = Sergei Gaidukevich

| party3 = Liberal Democratic Party of Belarus

| percentage3 = 2.01

| last_election3 = 1

| seats3 = 1

| leader5 = –

| party5 = Independents

| percentage5 = 76.16

| last_election5 = 94

| seats5 = 98

| title = Speaker of the House of Representatives

| before_election = {{ill|Vadim Popov|be|Вадзім Аляксандравіч Папоў}}

| before_party = Independent (politician)

| after_election = {{ill|Vladimir Konoplev|be|Уладзімір Мікалаевіч Канаплёў}}

| after_party = Independent (politician)

}}{{Politics of Belarus}}

Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 17 October 2004, with a second round of voting in two constituencies on 27 October, and a third round in one on 20 March 2005.Dieter Nohlen & Philip Stöver (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p252 {{ISBN|978-3-8329-5609-7}} The vast majority of successful candidates, 98 of 110, were independents. Voter turnout was reported to be 90% in the first round.[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2027_04.htm Belarus: Elections held in 2004] Inter-Parliamentary Union

A total of 359 candidates contested the election, with opposing parties claiming that around 40% of their candidates were not registered. The OCSE delegation noted that although all candidates were given a set amount of free television and radio airtime and a free statement in the national press, over 80% of television news time was dedicated to President Alexander Lukashenko in the five weeks before the election. They also noted concerns about the independence of the Electoral Commission and a lack of transparency during the voting and counting process. The government also closed down nine independent newspapers in the lead-up to the elections.