The primary round was held on 22 September 2020 with four candidates.[6][7] The incumbent president, Thomas Remengesau Jr., was ineligible to stand again having reached his term limit.[8] Former presidential candidate (and brother-in-law of the incumbent) Surangel Whipps Jr. took first place in the primary, while Vice PresidentRaynold Oilouch placed second to qualify for the second round of the presidential election.
Following the second round on 3 November, Oilouch conceded defeat to Whipps on 5 November after all the votes from Palau had been counted, giving Whipps a 1,202 vote lead with around 2,000 absentee votes still to be counted.[9] The Palau Election Commission officially certified the final results on 17 November.[10]