The setting up of the candidates for the President of the Republic was initiated: on 15 July – Lennart Meri and Arnold Rüütel; on 21 July – Jaks Lankots and Uno Ruus; on 24 July – Lagle Parek; on 27 July – Miina Hint; and on 3 August – Rein Taagepera.
On 6 August, Hint withdrew her candidacy; Lankots withdrew his on 11 August. Ruus did not receive the required 10,000 signatures in support by the set term.
On 20 August, Meri (11,491 signatures), Rüütel (21,009 signatures), Parek (10,839 signatures), and Taagepera (14,887 signatures) were registered as candidates for the President of the Republic.
At the election on 20 September 1992, none of the presidential candidates received the required number of votes, which is why the President of the Republic was elected at the first sitting of the Riigikogu on 5 October 1992.
Direct election 20 September 1992.
Personal information of the registered presidential candidates.
- Lennart Meri was born on 29 March 1929 in Tallinn. Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia to the Republic of Finland.
- Arnold Rüütel was born on 10 May 1928 in Saaremaa. Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia.
- Lagle Parek was born on 17 April 1941 in Pärnu. Member of the Board of collective enterprise Fööniks.
- Rein Taagepera was born on 28 February 1933 in Tartu. Professor of the University of California. Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences in the University of Tartu
Voter turnout and division of votes in the voting districts formed in the Republic of Estonia
Harju County
| Voters on the list |
46851 |
| Actual turnout |
31927 |
| Turnout percentage |
68,1 |
| Lennart Meri |
8319 votes |
26,1% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
14331 votes |
44,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
1144 votes |
3,6% |
| Rein Taagepera |
7882 votes |
24,7% |
| Total number of votes |
31676 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
251 |
Hiiu County
| Voters on the list |
7715 |
| Actual turnout |
5178 |
| Turnout percentage |
67,1 |
| Lennart Meri |
899 votes |
17,4% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
2793 votes |
53,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
157 votes |
3,0% |
| Rein Taagepera |
1268 votes |
24,5% |
| Total number of votes |
5117 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
61 |
Ida-Viru County
| Voters on the list |
15795 |
| Actual turnout |
11434 |
| Turnout percentage |
72,4 |
| Lennart Meri |
1917 votes |
16,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
6276 votes |
54,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
269 votes |
2,4% |
| Rein Taagepera |
2879 votes |
25,2% |
| Total number of votes |
11341 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
93 |
Jõgeva County
| Voters on the list |
26318 |
| Actual turnout |
16223 |
| Turnout percentage |
61,6 |
| Lennart Meri |
4145 votes |
25,6% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7777 votes |
47,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
574 votes |
3,5% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3539 votes |
21,8% |
| Total number of votes |
16035 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
188 |
Järva County
| Voters on the list |
27787 |
| Actual turnout |
18072 |
| Turnout percentage |
65,0 |
| Lennart Meri |
4613 votes |
25,5% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
8518 votes |
47,1% |
| Lagle Parek |
450 votes |
2,5% |
| Rein Taagepera |
4336 votes |
24,0% |
| Total number of votes |
17917 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
155 |
Lääne-Viru County
| Voters on the list |
41741 |
| Actual turnout |
26193 |
| Turnout percentage |
50,2 |
| Lennart Meri |
4941 votes |
18,9% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
13160 votes |
50,2% |
| Lagle Parek |
639 votes |
2,4% |
| Rein Taagepera |
7278 votes |
27,8% |
| Total number of votes |
26018 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
175 |
Lääne County
| Voters on the list |
17697 |
| Actual turnout |
11491 |
| Turnout percentage |
64,9 |
| Lennart Meri |
3213 votes |
28,0% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
5646 votes |
49,1% |
| Lagle Parek |
313 votes |
2,7% |
| Rein Taagepera |
2222 votes |
19,3% |
| Total number of votes |
11394 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
97 |
Põlva County
| Voters on the list |
21991 |
| Actual turnout |
13766 |
| Turnout percentage |
62,6 |
| Lennart Meri |
3790 votes |
27,5% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
5157 votes |
37,5% |
| Lagle Parek |
541 votes |
3,9% |
| Rein Taagepera |
4103 votes |
29,8% |
| Total number of votes |
13951 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
175 |
Pärnu County
| Voters on the list |
28161 |
| Actual turnout |
19448 |
| Turnout percentage |
69,1 |
| Lennart Meri |
3957 votes |
20,3% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
9274 votes |
47,7% |
| Lagle Parek |
765 votes |
3,9% |
| Rein Taagepera |
5319 votes |
27,4% |
| Total number of votes |
19315 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
133 |
Raplamaa
| Voters on the list |
23249 |
| Actual turnout |
14986 |
| Turnout percentage |
64,5 |
| Lennart Meri |
3467 votes |
23,1% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7187 votes |
48,0% |
| Lagle Parek |
611 votes |
4,1% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3590 votes |
24,0% |
| Total number of votes |
14855 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
131 |
Saare County
| Voters on the list |
25855 |
| Actual turnout |
16699 |
| Turnout percentage |
64,6 |
| Lennart Meri |
3412 votes |
20,4% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
9664 votes |
57,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
427 votes |
2,6% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3034 votes |
18,2% |
| Total number of votes |
16537 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
162 |
Tartu County
| Voters on the list |
28886 |
| Actual turnout |
19353 |
| Turnout percentage |
67,0 |
| Lennart Meri |
6849 votes |
41,2% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7967 votes |
41,2% |
| Lagle Parek |
796 votes |
4,1% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3525 votes |
18,2% |
| Total number of votes |
19137 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
216 |
Valga County
| Voters on the list |
22949 |
| Actual turnout |
15742 |
| Turnout percentage |
68,6 |
| Lennart Meri |
4063 votes |
25,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7213 votes |
45,8% |
| Lagle Parek |
754 votes |
4,8% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3533 votes |
22,4% |
| Total number of votes |
15563 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
179 |
Viljandi County
| Voters on the list |
43157 |
| Actual turnout |
27471 |
| Turnout percentage |
63,7 |
| Lennart Meri |
6807 votes |
24,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
12340 votes |
44,9% |
| Lagle Parek |
824 votes |
3,0% |
| Rein Taagepera |
7230 votes |
26,3% |
| Total number of votes |
27201 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
270 |
Võru County
| Voters on the list |
27328 |
| Actual turnout |
18538 |
| Turnout percentage |
67,8 |
| Lennart Meri |
5001 votes |
27,0% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7097 votes |
38,3% |
| Lagle Parek |
1134 votes |
6,1% |
| Rein Taagepera |
5045 votes |
27,2% |
| Total number of votes |
18277 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
261 |
City of Kohtla-Järve
| Voters on the list |
14311 |
| Actual turnout |
10075 |
| Turnout percentage |
70,4 |
| Lennart Meri |
1428 votes |
14,2% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
5082 votes |
50,4% |
| Lagle Parek |
232 votes |
2,3% |
| Rein Taagepera |
3182 votes |
31,6% |
| Total number of votes |
9924 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
151 |
City of Narva
| Voters on the list |
7003 |
| Actual turnout |
4731 |
| Turnout percentage |
67,6 |
| Lennart Meri |
504 votes |
10,6% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
1762 votes |
37,2% |
| Lagle Parek |
372 votes |
7,9% |
| Rein Taagepera |
1988 votes |
42,0% |
| Total number of votes |
4626 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
105 |
City of Pärnu
| Voters on the list |
30116 |
| Actual turnout |
20699 |
| Turnout percentage |
68,7 |
| Lennart Meri |
5962 votes |
28,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
7757 votes |
37,5% |
| Lagle Parek |
682 votes |
3,3% |
| Rein Taagepera |
6098 votes |
29,5% |
| Total number of votes |
20499 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
200 |
City of Sillamäe
| Voters on the list |
555 |
| Actual turnout |
463 |
| Turnout percentage |
83,3 |
| Lennart Meri |
50 votes |
10,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
232 votes |
50,1% |
| Lagle Parek |
26 votes |
5,6% |
| Rein Taagepera |
151 votes |
32,6% |
| Total number of votes |
459 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
4 |
City of Tallinn
| Voters on the list |
165904 |
| Actual turnout |
119176 |
| Turnout percentage |
71,8 |
| Lennart Meri |
40241 votes |
33,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
45044 votes |
37,8% |
| Lagle Parek |
5721 votes |
4,8% |
| Rein Taagepera |
26642 votes |
22,6% |
| Total number of votes |
117648 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
1528 |
City of Tartu
| Voters on the list |
56402 |
| Actual turnout |
37110 |
| Turnout percentage |
65,8 |
| Lennart Meri |
18484 votes |
49,8% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
10327 votes |
27,8% |
| Lagle Parek |
1451 votes |
3,9% |
| Rein Taagepera |
6352 votes |
17,1% |
| Total number of votes |
36614 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
496 |
Turnout and voting results in the election districts formed outside the Republic of Estonia
| Voters on the list |
9837 |
| Actual turnout |
9830 |
| Turnout percentage |
99,9 |
| Lennart Meri |
6255 votes |
63,6% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
1139 votes |
11,6% |
| Lagle Parek |
1955 votes |
19,9% |
| Rein Taagepera |
435 votes |
4,4% |
| Total number of votes |
9784 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
46 |
Turnout and voting results of the election of the President of the Republic of Estonia
| Voters on the list |
689608 |
| Actual turnout |
468605 |
| Turnout percentage |
68,0 |
| Lennart Meri |
138317 votes |
29,5% |
| Arnold Rüütel |
195743 votes |
41,8% |
| Lagle Parek |
19837 votes |
4,2% |
| Rein Taagepera |
109631 votes |
23,4% |
| Total number of votes |
463528 |
| Invalid ballot papers |
5077 |
This means that none of the presidential candidates received more than half of the votes, as required to be elected the President of the Republic.
Under subsections 11(2) and 15(2) of the President of the Republic Election Act, in order to elect the President in the Riigikogu, the names of Arnold Rüütel and Lennart Meri were entered on the ballot papers.
Voting results at the election of the President of the Republic in the Riigikogu on 5 October 1992.
When the votes were counted, the Electoral Committee ascertained the following results:
- 101 Members of the Riigikogu were entered on the list of voters
- 101 Members of the Riigikogu received a ballot paper
- 101 members of the Riigikogu took part in the voting
- 11 ballot papers were declared invalid
| Candidate |
Votes |
| Arnold Rüütel |
31 |
| Lennart Meri |
59 |
Under subsection 15(6) of the President of the Republic Election Act, Lennart Meri was elected the President of the Republic.
