On March 5, 2003, By-elections were held to the Milli Majlis on Garadagh Con.EC # 14, Ismayilli # 69 and Khanlar-Dashkasan Con.EC # 91.
33,55 % of 146.093 voters included in voters lists participated in the elections.
On October 15, 2003, Presidential Elections were held in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Nomination of 30 contenders were put by political parties, voters initiative groups, citizens themselves with the right to be elected. CEC defined the legitimate compile of 19 of them and approved their candidacies. 13 of these persons who took signature sheets were nominated by political parties and 6 of them by initiative groups. In the period defined by law, 18 contenders submitted their signature sheets together with the documents required for the registration to the CEC that one of them died during that period. As the result of it, documents of 17 candidates were investigated and it was defined that only 9 of them could collect signatures in the order and number meeting the requirements of Election Code. The candidacy of these 9 persons were registered by the CEC decision. Another 3 contenders applied to the CEC on the registration of their candidacy to presidency under the condition to put deposit pursuant to the Election Code. The apply was positively settled and so, registered 12 candidates joined the fight to be elected president. Later, 4 of them applied officially to the CEC on withdrawal of their candidacies and CEC adopted decision on the cancel of the candidacies of these persons. Names of 8 candidates were included in the ballot paper on the Presidential Elections: Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, nominated by voters initiative group, Hafiz Alamdar oghlu Hajiyev, Chair of the Modern Musavat Party, Lale-Shovkat Hajiyeva, nominated by voters initiative group, Gudrat Muzaffar oghlu Hasanguliyev, nominated by “Khalg Cabhesi” voters initiative group, Ilyas Abbas oghlu Ismayilov, Chair of the Adalet (Justice) Party, Isa YUnis oghlu Gambar, Chair of the Musavat Party, Etibar Salidar oghlu Mammadov, Chair of the Azerbaijan National Independence Party and Sabir Khudu oghlu Rustamkhanli, Chair of the Civil Solidarity Party.
Protocols compiled by Con.ECs on the basis of the PEC protocols on the voting results were submitted to the CEC within 48 hours. As the result of the investigation, cases of improper compliment of the protocols on the voting results by the 694 PECs of 115 constituencies and other shortcomings that are to influence the results were discovered. Pursuant to legislation, CEC adopted decision on the cancel of voting results in these polling stations. Election returns show that 71,23 %, i.e. 3 164 348 persons of 4 442 338 voters included in voters lists participated in the Presidential Elections of the Republic of Azerbaijan on October 15, 2003. 1 860 346, in other words, 76,84 % of 2 421 061 valid votes were cast for Ilham Heydar oghlu Aliyev and he gained victory in the fight among eight contenders.