Wikipedia

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
← 2006 7 February 2010[1] 2014 →
Presidential election
Turnout69.12% (Increase 3.91pp)
 
Candidate Laura Chinchilla Ottón Solís Fallas Otto Guevara Guth
Party PLN PAC PML
Running mate Alfio Piva
Luis Liberman 		Mónica Segnini
Julio Humphreys 		Mario Quirós
Lorena San Román
Popular vote 896,516 478,877 399,788
Percentage 46.91% 25.05% 20.92%
Results by canton
President before election

Oscar Arias
PLN

Elected President

Laura Chinchilla
PLN

Legislative election
All 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly
29 seats needed for a majority
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/–
PLN Laura Chinchilla Miranda 37.27 24 −1
PAC Ottón Solís Fallas 17.61 11 −6
PML Otto Guevara Guth 14.50 9 +3
PASE Óscar Andrés López Arias 9.05 4 +3
PUSC Luis Fishman Zonzinski 8.16 6 +1
PRC Mayra González León 3.85 1 +1
FA Eugenio Trejos Benavides 3.63 1 0
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Results by province

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

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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

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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 polls

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  • 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

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President

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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]

CandidatePartyVotes%
Laura ChinchillaNational Liberation Party896,51646.91
Ottón SolísCitizens' Action Party478,87725.05
Otto GuevaraLibertarian Movement399,78820.92
Luis Fishman ZonzinskiSocial Christian Unity Party74,1143.88
Óscar LópezAccessibility without Exclusion36,1041.89
Mayra GonzálezCosta Rican Renewal Party13,9450.73
Eugenio TrejosBroad Front6,7820.35
Rolando Araya MongePatriotic Alliance3,1580.17
Walter MuñozNational Integration Party2,0490.11
Total1,911,333100.00
Valid votes1,911,33397.97
Invalid votes32,5551.67
Blank votes6,9590.36
Total votes1,950,847100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,822,49169.12
Source: Election Resources

By province

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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

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PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Liberation Party708,04337.2724–1
Citizens' Action Party334,63617.6111–6
Libertarian Movement275,51814.509+3
Accessibility without Exclusion171,8589.054+3
Social Christian Unity Party155,0478.166+1
Costa Rican Renewal Party73,1503.851+1
Broad Front68,9873.6310
National Restoration Party29,5301.5510
Patriotic Alliance28,3491.490New
National Integration Party14,6430.7700
Cartago Agrarian Union Party11,8620.6200
Heredia Restoration Party7,9530.420New
Alajuela Restoration Party7,2980.380New
Cartaginese Transparency Party4,5900.240New
Green Ecologist Party2,9010.150New
Elderly Alliance Party2,7240.140New
Alajuelan Familiar Force Party1,6090.080New
Workers' and Farmers' Movement1,1270.060New
Total1,899,825100.00570
Valid votes1,899,82597.39
Invalid votes30,8061.58
Blank votes20,0771.03
Total votes1,950,708100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,822,49169.11
Source: Election Resources

By province

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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

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See also: 2010 Costa Rican municipal elections

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.

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
National Liberation Party700,65937.05196–32
Citizens' Action Party331,16717.51100–39
Libertarian Movement255,41113.5176+40
Social Christian Unity Party174,4629.2255–4
Accessibility without Exclusion143,2737.5822New
Costa Rican Renewal Party51,3022.7110+6
Broad Front45,3992.401+1
Patriotic Alliance28,7381.523New
National Restoration Party24,6901.311–1
21st Century Curridabat5,6430.304+2
Renew Alajuela Party13,4030.711New
National Integration Party10,1210.5400
Heredia Restoration Party8,7970.470New
Escazu's Progressive Yoke8,1450.4320
Green Ecologist Party5,3190.2800
Sancarlenean Alliance Coalition (FA–AP)4,8950.261New
Cartago Agrarian Union Party9,0290.481–1
Ramonense League Coalition (FA–AP)4,6620.251New
Palmarenean Union Party4,1580.2220
Party of the Sun4,0770.2220
Fuenteovejuna Civic Party of Tibás3,6550.191New
Alajuela Restoration Party3,4140.180New
Santo Domingo Advancement Movement3,3980.181New
Goicoechea in Action Party3,3480.181+1
United Barva Coalition (FA–PASE)3,0170.161New
Alajuelense Coalition (FA–AP)2,9800.161New
The Bridge and Paths of Mora2,9620.161–1
Authentic Labourer of Coronado Party2,8480.1510
Ateniense Union Party2,6020.141New
Barbarenean Integration Party2,3690.131New
Elderly Alliance Party2,2790.120New
Unique Abangarean Party2,2290.122New
Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party2,1160.1110
United Montes de Oca Coalition (FA–PH)2,0860.110New
Social Active Organization2,0250.111New
Independent Belemite Party2,0140.1110
Live Buenos Aires Party1,7910.091New
Communal Pro-Curri Party1,7180.090–1
United Heredia Coalition (FA–PH)1,4030.070New
Quepeña Action Party1,3860.070–2
Autonomous Oromontan Party1,1700.0610
Workers' and Peasants' Movement1,1200.0600
Naranjenean Action Party1,0470.060New
Alfaro Ruiz Peoples' Coalition (FA–AP)1,0230.051New
Tarrazú First Party9910.050New
Barbarenean Coalition (FA–AP)8310.040New
Ecological Garabito Party7090.0410
United Talamanca Party5080.030New
Aguirre Labour Organization Party4560.0200
Poasenean Patriotic Front Coalition (FA–AP)3450.020New
Total1,891,190100.00496–4
Valid votes1,891,19097.17
Invalid/blank votes55,0662.83
Total votes1,946,256100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,822,49168.96
Source: TSE[13]

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Costa Rica Elections in 2010.
  1. ^ a b c d e "7 February 2010 Legislative Assembly Election Results - Costa Rica Totals". Election Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  2. ^ "(in Spanish)". Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  3. ^ Jara, Francisco (6 February 2010). "AFP: First female poised for Costa Rica presidency". Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  4. ^ "Araya y Muñoz renuncian a ser candidatos y apoyan a Solís".
  5. ^ a b "Panorama of Parliament Elections 2010" (PDF). International Parliamentary Union.
  6. ^ a b c d e 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 (20 March 2014). Political Handbook of the World 2014. ISBN 9781483386263. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  8. ^ Landsford, Tom (2 April 2012). Political Handbook of the World 2012. ISBN 9781608719952. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d "7 February 2010 Presidential Election Results - Costa Rica Totals". Elections Resources. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  10. ^ Lopez, Jaime (18 July 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 5 February 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  12. ^ "Solís reconoce victoria de Chinchilla - EL PAÍS". nacion.com. Archived from the original on 11 February 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2010.
  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.

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