Bolivian special municipal elections, 2011

The 2011 Bolivian special municipal elections were held on 18 December 2011. These elections cover three of five municipalities currently without elected mayors in Bolivia: Sucre, Quillacollo, and Pazña.^[1] Elections for the Mayor of Punata will be held 29 April or 6 May 2012.^[2] Newly elected mayors will receive their credentials from the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on 27 January 2011, after which they may be sworn in.

Special Election to be held	City	Outgoing Mayor (Party)	Notes	Mayor Elect
18 December 2011	Sucre, Chuquisaca	Jaime Barrón (PAÍS)	Resigned in July 2010 under indictment for May 24, 2008 violence	Moisés Torres (LÍDER/UN-PAÍS)
	Quillacollo, Cochabamba	Héctor Cartagena (UNE)		Charles Becerra (UNE)
	Pazña, Oruro	Víctor Centeno (MAS-IPSP)	Resigned on 15 June 2010 under "psychological pressure and regional divisions"[3]	Efraín Peñafiel (MAS-IPSP)
13 January 2013	Punata, Cochabamba	Víctor Balderrama (Insurgente Martín Uchu)	Suspended under indictment for aggravated rape of a minor on August 10, 2010 (convicted September 2011[4]); pledged to resign to allow new elections
To be determined	Catacora, La Paz

Mayoral races

Sucre

In Sucre, the mayoral candidates are as follows:

• Horacio Poppe - May 25 Movement (Falangist)
• Moisés Torres Ramírez - Renewing Freedom and Democracy (LÍDER) Front
• Orlando Hurtado - Without Fear Movement
• (withdrawn, but on the ballot) Jaime Hurtado Poveda - Pact of Social Integration (PAÍS)–National Unity Front Alliance
• Maribel Salinas - We Are All Chuquisaca
• Iván Arciénega – Movement for Socialism – Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MAS-IPSP)

Despite ideological affinity, the right-wing parties were unable to decide on an alliance candidate until the week of the poll.^[5] However, the National Unity Front and Pact of Social Integration unified on December 13 behind the candidacy of Moisés Torres Ramírez, bringing the number of right-leaning candidates down by one.^[6]

Results

The right-wing opposition candidate Moisés Torres Ramírez was elected; he won a plurality, and a majority if the votes for his coalition partner Jaime Hurtado Poveda are included.

  Sucre special municipal election, 2011 — partial results, 99.17% reporting

Mayoral Candidate		Party	Votes	Percentage
	Moisés Torrez Chive	Renewing Freedom and Democracy (LIDER)	50,453	46.35%
	Iván Jorge Arciénega Collazos	Movement towards Socialism	41,387	38.02%
	Horacio Poppe Inch	May 25 Movement	7,003	6.43%
	withdrawn: Jaime Eduardo Hurtado Poveda	Unity-Pact of Social Integration	5,679	5.22%
	Orlando Hurtado Choque	Without Fear Movement	2,563	2.35%
	Maribel Salinas Ortega	We Are All Chuquisaca	1,769	1.63%
		Valid votes	108,854	90.55%
		Blank votes	1,454	1.21%
		Null votes	9,905	8.24%
		Total votes	120,213	74.05% of registered voters
Source: Tribunal Supremo Electoral, ELECCIÓN DE ALCALDESA O ALCALDE - 2011 RESULTADOS PARCIALES - MUNICIPIO - SUCRE

Quillacollo

In Quillacollo, the mayoral candidates are as follows:

• René Fernández Céspedes - Without Fear Movement (MSM)
• Miguel Edwin Guzmán Achá - Movement for Socialism – Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MAS-IPSP)
• Charles Cristhian Becerra - Unity New Hope (UNE)

Some 82 thousand people are registered to vote in the municipality.^[7]

Results

  Quillacollo special municipal election, 2011

Mayoral Candidate		Party	Votes	Percentage
	Charles Christhian Becerra Sejas	Unity New Hope	20,043	37.97%
	Miguel Edwin Guzmán Achá	Movement towards Socialism	19,477	36.90%
	René Fernández Cespédes	Without Fear Movement	13,261	25.12%
		Valid votes	52,781	90.24%
		Blank votes	748	1.28%
		Null votes	4,960	8.48%
		Total votes	58,489	70.95% of registered voters
Source: Tribunal Supremo Electoral, ELECCIÓN DE ALCALDESA O ALCALDE - 2011 RESULTADOS PARCIALES - MUNICIPIO - QUILLACOLLO

Pazña

In Pazña, the mayoral candidates are as follows:

• Pablo Alejandro Valero - Without Fear Movement (MSM)
• Gróver Peñafiel - Movement for Socialism – Political Instrument for the Sovereignty of the Peoples (MAS-IPSP)

References

1. "Convocan a comicios electorales en 3 municipios". Página Siete. 2011-07-22. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
2. "Habrán comicios en Punata para elegir al nuevo alcalde". Los Tiempos. 2011-10-14. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
3. "En Quillacollo y Pazña habrán nuevas elecciones para alcalde," Bolivianpress.com, 16 June 2011.
4. "Condenan con 25 años de prisión al Alcalde suspendido de Punata". La Razón. 2011-08-08. Retrieved 2011-08-08.
5. "Sucre elecciones: Opositores descartan alianzas". Los Tiempos. 2011-12-05. Retrieved 2011-12-13.
6. "Torres va a elección destacando unidad". Correo del Sur. 2011-12-15. Retrieved 2011-12-16.
7. "Campañas en la recta final por Alcaldía de Quillacollo". Los Tiempos. 2011-12-12. Retrieved 2011-12-13.