Panamanian general election, 1924

The Panama held a general election on 2 September 1924, electing both a new President of the Republic and a new National Assembly.

The Washington government remained aloof and permitted the Panamanians to manage their own affairs. Rodolfo Chiari, the Liberal candidate, defeated General Manuel Quintero Villarreal, the commander of the Panamanian army at Coto and the leader of the opposition, for the presidency in an election of ‘orden perfecto’. [1]

One practice that grew out of the struggle for control of the electoral board was the ‘paquetazo,’ which amounted to stuffing the ballot boxes with ghost votes, thereby giving the party that controlled the board a landslide victory in a particularly difficult to monitor, remote part of the country. One of the more blatant cases occurred in 1924. Rodolfo Chiari, the administration’s hand-picked candidate, easily won the 1924 election, including a landslide margin among the indigenous people of San Blas. There police intimidation resulted in a margin of 594 to 17 in favor of Chiari. [2]

Presidential election results[3]

Candidate Party/Alliance Votes %
Rodolfo Chiari Chiarista Liberal Party (PLCh) / Conservative Party (PC) 28,376 85.78%
Manuel Quintero Villarreal Porrista Liberal Party (PLP) 4,705 04.22%
Total valid votes 33,081 100%
Spoilt and invalid votes ?? ??
Total votes/Turnout ?? ??
Registered voters ?? ??
Population 442,486

Legislative election [4]

Parties and alliances Votes/districts % Seats
Liberal Party (PL) ?? ?? 38
Conservative Party (PC) ?? ?? 08
Total valid votes ?? 100% 46
Spoilt and invalid votes ?? ??
Total votes/Turnout ?? ??
Registered voters ?? ??
Population 442,486

References

  1. McCain, William D. The United States and the Republic of Panama. New York: Russell & Russell. Reprint of 1937 edition. 1967. Pp. 75.
  2. Pearcy, Thomas L. We answer only to God: politics and the military in Panama, 1903-1947. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. 1998. Pp. 42.
  3. Elecciones presidenciales en Panama por sufragio indirecto y directo
  4. Political Handbook of the world, 1928. New York, 1928. Pp. 144.
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