2010 Costa Rican general election

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 7 February 2010. The ruling party before the election, the center-left National Liberation Party, put forward former Vice-President Laura Chinchilla as its presidential candidate, while the libertarian, Movimiento Libertario nominated former legislator Otto Guevara. Opinion polls before voting started consistently put Chinchilla as the front-runner, a trend confirmed in the election-night count, which showed her garnering 46.76% of the vote.[2]

2010 Costa Rican general election

7 February 2010[1]
Turnout69.1%
Presidential election
 
Candidate Laura Chinchilla Ottón Solís Fallas Otto Guevara Guth
Party PLN PAC ML
Home state San José San José San José
Percentage 46.41% 25.06% 20.92%

Results by canton

President before election

Oscar Arias
PLN

Elected President

Laura Chinchilla
PLN

Legislative election

Party Leader % Seats ±
PLN Laura Chinchilla Miranda 37.3% 24 -1
PAC Ottón Solís Fallas 17.6% 11 -6
ML Otto Guevara Guth 14.5% 9 +3
PUSC Luis Fishman Zonzinski 8.2% 6 +1
PASE Óscar Andrés López Arias 9% 4 +3
PRC Mayra González León 3.9% 1 +1
FA Eugenio Trejos Benavides 3.6% 1 0
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

The election was supervised by observers from several countries, as well as from the Organization of American States.[3] The incumbent president, Óscar Arias, was ineligible to run for a second consecutive term. This was the last time as of 2019, that the National Liberation Party has gotten more than 30% of the vote, the last time to this date that they have won the Presidency, and the last time it has won any province in what is known as the Central Valley (the four provinces in the interior of the country: San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago).

Presidential candidates

Candidates included:

Two weeks before the election, Patriotic Alliance and National Integration Party's candidates, Rolando Araya and Walter Muñoz, stopped their campaigns and endorsed Citizens' Action Party's candidate Otton Solís, in an effort to build a progressive alliance against Laura Chinchilla.[4]

Parliamentary elections

The swifting from a two-party system to a multi-party system was much more evident in this election[5][6][7][8]

For the then three major parties; PLN, PAC and ML the voting for the presidential ballot was superior to the support in the legislative, as for example PLN presidential candidate Laura Chinchilla[5] received 46%[9] of the votes and PLN's legislative ballot only 37%.[1] Similarly PAC's candidate Ottón Solís with 25%[9] presidential against 17% legislative[1] and Otto Guevara with 20%[9] oppose to 14% legislative.[1] Contrary to PUSC whose candidate Luis Fishman received 3%[9] electoral support while his party received 8%.[1]

This was at the time PAC's worst electoral result in its history having the smallest faction in the Parliament[6] and ML's best result with to this date its biggest.[6] PLN only lost one seat. Left-wing Broad Front maintained its only seat in the person of future presidential nominee José María Villalta Florez-Estrada[6] and two Christian parties[10] for the first time had deputies at the same time; Costa Rican Renewal Party and its provincial offshoot National Restoration.[6]

Opinion polling

  • CID-Gallup 24 January 2010: Chinchilla 43%; Guevara 30%; Solís 15%; Fishman 8%
  • Borge & Asociados for Diario Extra opinion poll January 2010: Chinchilla 38.7%; Guevara 18.3%; Solís 9.6%; Fishman 3.7%
  • Demoscopía for Al Día January 2010: Chinchilla 45.1%; Guevara 30.1%; Solís 9.5%; Fishman 3.8%[11]
  • December 2009: Chinchilla 36.7%; Guevara 16.2%; Solís 8.5%; Fishman 2.2%
  • December 2009: Chinchilla 46.6%; Guevara 19.5%; Solís 8.3%; Fishman 4.1%
  • October 2009: Chinchilla 53.0%; Guevara 15.7%; Solís 12.3%; Fishman 1.5%

Results

President

At 9:08 p.m. local time on election day, 7 February second-placed candidate Otton Solis conceded defeat to Laura Chinchilla, who will become Costa Rica's first female president. With approximately 40% of the vote counted, Chinchilla was consistently surpassing the 40% threshold for victory in the first round, leading Solis by 47% to 24%, with third-placed candidate Otto Guevara trailing at 21.5%.[12]

Candidate Party Votes %
Laura ChinchillaNational Liberation Party863,80346.78
Ottón SolísCitizens' Action Party464,45425.15
Otto GuevaraLibertarian Movement384,54020.83
Luis FishmanSocial Christian Unity Party71,3303.86
Óscar LópezAccessibility without Exclusion35,2151.91
Mayra GonzálezCosta Rican Renewal Party13,3760.72
Eugenio TrejosBroad Front6,8220.37
Rolando ArayaPatriotic Alliance Party3,7950.21
Walter MuñozNational Integration Party3,1980.17
Invalid/blank votes39,514
Total1,950,847100
Registered voters/turnout2,822,49169.12
Source: TSE
Popular Vote
National Liberation
46.78%
Citizens' Action
25.15%
Libertarian Movement
20.83%
Social Christian Unity
3.86%
Acc. w/o Exclusion
1.91%
Costa Rican Renewal
0.72%
Broad Front
0.37%
Patriotic Alliance
0.21%
National Integration
0.17%

By province

Province % PLN % PAC % ML % PUSC % PASE % PRC % Other %
 San José 46.6 28.9 17.6 3.6 2.1 0.6 0.6
 Alajuela 45.3 26.5 21.9 3.2 1.8 0.8 0.5
 Cartago 49.7 23.5 19.4 4.2 2.1 0.4 0.7
 Heredia 46.6 27.6 19.5 3.2 1.8 0.6 0.7
 Puntarenas 48.9 17.3 26.7 4.4 1.3 0.8 0.6
 Limón 41.6 17.5 31.4 5.0 1.7 1.9 0.9
 Guanacaste 51.4 15.9 23.3 6.1 1.6 1.2 0.6
Total 46.8 25.1 20.9 3.9 1.9 0.7 0.8

Legislative Assembly

Legislative Assembly-Popular vote
National Liberation
37.16%
Citizens' Action
17.68%
Libertarian Movement
14.48%
Acc. w/o Exclusion
9.17%
Social Christian Unity
8.05%
Costa Rican Renewal
3.97%
Broad Front
3.66%
National Restoration
1.62%
Patriotic Alliance
1.47%
Other
1.22%
Legislative Assembly-Seats
National Liberation
42.10%
Citizens' Action
19.29%
Libertarian Movement
15.79%
Social Christian Unity
10.52%
Acc. w/o Exclusion
7.01%
Costa Rican Renewal
1.75%
Broad Front
1.75%
National Restoration
1.75%
Party Votes % Seats +/–
National Liberation Party708,04337.324–1
Citizens' Action Party334,63617.611–6
Libertarian Movement275,51814.59+3
Accessibility without Exclusion171,8589.04+3
Social Christian Unity Party155,0478.26+1
Costa Rican Renewal Party73,1503.91+1
Broad Front68,9873.610
National Restoration Party29,5301.610
Patriotic Alliance Party28,3491.50New
National Integration Party14,6430.800
Cartago Agrarian Union Party11,8620.600
Heredia Restoration Party7,9530.40New
Alajuela Restoration Party7,2980.40New
Cartaginese Transparency Party4,5900.20New
Green Ecologist Party2,9010.20New
Elderly Alliance Party2,7240.10New
Alajuelan Familiar Force Party1,6090.10New
Workers' and Farmers' Movement1,1270.10New
Invalid/blank votes32,883
Total1,950,708100570
Registered voters/turnout2,822,49169.1
Source: Election Resources

By province

Province PLN PAC ML PUSC PASE PRC FA PREN AP Other
% S % S % S % S % S % S % S % S % S % S
 San José 35.5 7 19.0 4 12.3 2 7.4 2 11.1 2 3.0 1 4.7 1 4.3 1 1.1 0 1.6 0
 Alajuela 38.2 5 19.9 2 16.5 2 6.5 1 8.5 1 6.5 0 1.3 0 2.0 0 1.9 0 0.8 0
 Cartago 38.9 3 17.0 1 13.1 1 7.6 1 7.9 1 2.8 0 2.8 0 - 0 1.2 0 8.5 0
 Heredia 37.0 2 19.1 2 13.9 1 7.3 0 8.7 0 2.9 0 4.8 0 4.0 0 1.9 0 0.5 0
 Puntarenas 39.7 2 14.3 1 18.6 1 13.8 1 5.1 0 4.3 0 2.2 0 - 0 1.1 0 1.0 0
 Limón 33.3 2 12.0 1 20.1 1 10.2 1 5.6 0 8.6 0 7.3 0 - 0 1.2 0 1.8 0
 Guanacaste 43.1 3 11.6 0 13.5 1 11.0 0 10.0 0 5.1 0 2.2 0 - 0 3.1 0 0.3 0
Total 37.3 24 17.6 11 14.5 9 8.2 6 9.0 4 3.9 1 3.6 1 2.4 1 1.5 0 2.0 0

Municipal Councils

The elections of municipal councilors of Costa Rica in 2010 were an electoral process held in parallel with the presidential and legislative elections. In them the 495 tenure aldermen and the 495 alternates that conform the 81 Municipal Councils were chosen.

The Central Canton of San José, the most populous, named 13 aldermen. Desamparados and Alajuela named 11. Others less populated (Puntarenas, Limón, Pococí, Heredia, Cartago, La Unión, San Carlos, Goicoechea, Pérez Zeledón, etc.) named 9. Others even smaller (Tibás, Grecia, Vázquez de Coronado, Montes de Oca, Siquirres, Escazú, Turrialba, etc.) appointed 7 council members. Finally, the smallest (Turrubares, San Mateo, Santa Ana, Mora, Montes de Oro, Talamanca, etc.) named 5.

Alderpeople
National Liberation
39.52%
Citizens' Action
20.16%
Libertarian Movement
15.32%
Social Christian Unity
11.09%
Regionalist
6.45%
Access. w/o Exclusion
4.44%
Costa Rican Renewal
2.02%
Patriotic Alliance
0.60%
Broad Front
0.20%
National Restoration
0.20%
Parties Popular vote Alderpeople
Votes % ±pp Total +/-
National Liberation Party (PLN) 700,65936.96+0.55 196-32
Citizens' Action Party (PAC) 331,16717.47-7.07 100-39
Libertarian Movement (ML) 255,41113.47+5.07 76+40
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) 174,4629.20+0.31 55-4
Accessibility without Exclusion (PASE) 143,2737.56New 22New
Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) 51,3022.71-0.42 10+6
Broad Front (FA) 45,3992.40+1.90 1+1
Patriotic Alliance (AP) 28,7381.52New 3New
National Restoration Party (PREN) 24,6901.30-0.10 1-1
21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) 5,6430.75+0.50 4+2
Renew Alajuela Party (PRA) 13,4030.71New 1New
National Integration Party (PIN) 10.1210.53-0.35 00
Heredia Restoration Party (PREH) 8,7970.46New 0New
Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) 8,1450.43+0.05 20
Green Ecologist Party (PVE) 5,3190.28+0.09 00
Sancarlenean Alliance Coalition (FA-AP) (CAS) 4,8950.26New 1New
Cartago Agrarian Union Party (PUAC) 9,0290.26-0.40 1-1
Ramonense League Coalition (FA-AP) (CALIRA) 4,6620.25New 1New
Palmarenean Union Party (PUPal) 4,1580.22-0.09 20
Party of the Sun (PdS) 4,0770.22-0.03 20
Fuenteovejuna Civic Party of Tibás (PCFT) 3,6550.19New 1New
Alajuela Restoration Party (PREA) 3,4140.18New 0New
Santo Domingo Advancement Movement (MAS) 3,3980.18New 1New
Goicoechea in Action Party (PGEA) 3,3480.18-0.04 1+1
United Barva Coalition (FA-PASE) (CBU) 3,0170.16New 1New
Alajuelense Coalition (FA-AP) (CALJ) 2,9800.16New 1New
The Bridge and Paths of Mora (PYCM) 2,9620.16-0.01 1-0.01
Authentic Labourer of Coronado Party (PALABRA) 2,8480.15-0.04 10
Ateniense Union Party (PUA) 2,6020.14New 1New
Barbarenean Integration Party (PINBAR) 2,3690.14New 1New
Elderly Alliance Party (PAM) 2,2790.12New 0New
Unique Abangarean Party (PUAB) 2,2290.12New 2New
Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) 2,1160.12+0.00 10
United Montes de Oca Coalition (FA-PH) (CMdOU) 2,0860.12New 0New
Social Active Organization (OSA) 2,0250.11New 1New
Independent Belemite Party (PIB) 2,0140.11+0.03 10
Live Buenos Aires Party (PVBA) 1,7910.09New 1New
Communal Pro-Curri Party (PCPC) 1,7180.09-0.08 0-1
United Heredia Coalition (FA-PH) (CHU) 1,4030.07New 0New
Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) 1,3860.07-0.02 0-2
Autonomous Oromontan Party (PAO) 1,1700.06+0.01 10
Workers' and Peasants' Movement (MTC) 1,1200.06-0.05 00
Naranjenean Action Party (PANAR) 1,0470.06New 0New
Alfaro Ruiz Peoples' Coalition (FA-AP) (CPAR) 1,0230.05New 1New
Tarrazú First Party (PTP) 9910.05New 0New
Barbarenean Coalition (FA-AP) (CB) 8310.05New 0New
Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) 7090.04-0.01 10
United Talamanca Party (PTU) 5080.03New 0New
Aguirre Labour Organization Party (OLA) 4560.02-0.01 00
Poasenean Patriotic Front Coalition (FA-AP) (CFPP) 3450.02New 0New
Total 1,895,558100.00-496-4
Invalid votes 55,0662.83
Votes cast / turnout 1,950,62465.19
Abstentions 871,86730.89
Registered voters 2,822,491100%
Sources[13]

References

  1. "7 February 2010 Legislative Assembly Election Results - Costa Rica Totals". Election Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  2. (in Spanish)
  3. Jara, Francisco (2010-02-06). "AFP: First female poised for Costa Rica presidency". Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  4. https://www.nacion.com/el-pais/politica/araya-y-munoz-renuncian-a-ser-candidatos-y-apoyan-a-solis/DRRTC4TAPBBVBNP2472YW3I66I/story/
  5. "Panorama of Parliament Elections 2010" (PDF). International Parliamentary Union.
  6. Lehring, Gary (15 February 2014). "Costa Rican legislative elections show growing voter dissatisfaction with traditional choices". The Tico Times. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  7. Landsford, Tom (2014-03-20). Political Handbook of the World 2014. ISBN 9781483386263. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. Landsford, Tom (2012-04-02). Political Handbook of the World 2012. ISBN 9781608719952. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. "7 February 2010 Presidential Election Results - Costa Rica Totals". Elections Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. Lopez, Jaime (July 18, 2013). "Civic Groups Move Against Gay Marriage in Costa Rica". Costa Rica Star. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  11. "Chinchilla Leads, Guevara Gains in Costa Rica: Angus Reid Global Monitor". Angus-reid.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-05. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  12. "Solís reconoce victoria de Chinchilla - EL PAÍS". nacion.com. Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  13. "Elecciones Regidurías 2010". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

Bruce M. Wilson and Juan Carlos Rodríguez-Cordero: "The general election in Costa Rica, February 2010". In Electoral Studies, Volume 30, Issue 1, March 2011, pages 231-234.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.