Costa Rican general election, 2002

Costa Rican general election, 2002
Costa Rica
February 3, 2002 (2002-02-03) (first round)
April 7, 2002 (2002-04-07) (second round)

 
Nominee Abel Pacheco Rolando Araya
Party Social Christian Unity National Liberation
Popular vote 776,278 563,202
Percentage 58.0% 42.0%

In blue cantons won by Pacheco, in green cantons won by Araya and in yellow cantons won by Solís

President before election

Miguel Ángel Rodríguez
Social Christian Unity

Elected President

Abel Pacheco
Social Christian Unity

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General elections were held in Costa Rica on February 3, 2002.[1] For the first time in the country's history, no candidate in the presidential election passed the 40% threshold.[2] This meant a second round of voting had to be held on April 7, which saw Abel Pacheco of the Social Christian Unity Party defeat the National Liberation Party's Rolando Araya Monge.[3]

Many analysts consider this election the beginning of the end of Costa Rica’s decades-long two party system.[4][5][6] For the first time in many years alternative political forces become really relevant in the Parliament and the plenary had three large party groups; PUSC (19), PLN (17) and PAC (14).[7]

While PUSC won the presidential election and the majority in Congress, PLN became the primal opposition force in Parliament. Centre-left PAC with a progressive proposal seem to had gravely affected traditional third forces at the left of the spectrum like Democratic Force that fail to win any seat on that election even when for some years was Costa Rica’s main third party.[7] Right-wing Libertarian Movement also increases its representation from one to six deputies[7] while conservative[8] Costa Rican Renovation Party won one seat as usual.[7]

Despite the close contest, voter turnout was only 68.8% on February 3, the lowest since the 1958 elections. For the second round of the presidential elections it fell to 60.2%, the lowest since 1949.[9]

Background

Before the election, the country's Supreme Electoral Tribinal attempted to make several reforms to the electoral system. These included allowing independents to run in local elections, using electronic voting machines, allowing Costa Ricans living abroad to vote, and allowing voters to choose the top two places on parliamentary lists.[2] However, the changes were rejected by the Legislative Assembly, which noted that independent candidature was incompatible with the constitution, and that electronic voting could not be guaranteed to be secure or transparent.[2]

Results

President

Candidate Party First round Second round
Votes % Votes %
Abel PachecoSocial Christian Unity Party590,27738.6776,27858.0
Rolando Araya MongeNational Liberation Party475,03031.1563,20242.0
Ottón SolísCitizens' Action Party400,68126.2
Otto GuevaraMovimiento Libertario25,8151.7
Justo Orozco ÁlvarezCosta Rican Renovation Party16,4041.1
Walter Muñoz CéspedesNational Integration Party6,2350.4
Vladimir De la Cruz De LemosDemocratic Force4,1210.3
Walter Coto MolinaCoalition Change 20003,9700.2
Rolando Angulo ZeledónGeneral Union2,6550.2
Daniel Reynolds VargasPatriótico Nacional1,6800.1
Marvin Calvo MontoyaChristian National Alliance1,2710.1
Pablo Angulo CasasolaNational Rescue Party9050.0
Invalid/blank votes39,573-33,463-
Total1,569,4181001,372,943100
Source: Nohlen

Parliament

Party Votes % Seats +/-
Social Christian Unity Party453,20129.819-8
National Liberation Party412,38327.117-6
Citizens' Action Party334,16222.014New
Movimiento Libertario142,1529.36+5
Costa Rican Renovation Party54,6993.610
Democratic Force30,1722.00-3
National Integration Party26,0841.70-1
Coalition Change 200012,9920.80New
Agrarian Labour Action Party10,8900.70-1
Independiente Obrero8,0440.50New
Patriótico Nacional7,1230.50New
Cartago Agrarian Union Party6,9740.500
Christian National Alliance6,8250.400
General Union5,8830.400
National Rescue Party4,9370.300
Partido Agrario Nacional2,5950.20New
Cartago Agrarian Force1,3900.100
Convergencia Nacional1,3480.100
Invalid/blank votes47,484---
Total1,569,338100570
Source: Nohlen

References

  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p155 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
  2. 1 2 3 Nohlen, p. 150.
  3. "Election profile: Costa Rica". International Foundation for Electoral Systems. 1 September 2006. Retrieved 26 June 2011. Check date values in: |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  4. Landsford, Tom. Political Handbook of the World 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  5. Landsford, Tom. Political Handbook of the World 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  6. Greenspana, Eliot; Gill, Nicholas; O'Malley, Charlie; Gilsenan, Patrick; Perill, Jisel. [Elecciones legislativas de Costa Rica de 2002 Frommer's Central America] Check |url= value (help). Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "February 5, 2002 Legislative Assembly Election Results - Costa Rica Totals". Election Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. Lopez, Jaime (July 18, 2013). "Civic Groups Move Against Gay Marriage in Costa Rica". Costa Rica Star. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. Nohlen, pp. 156157.
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