2010 Costa Rican general election

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2010 Costa Rican general election
← 2006 7 February 2010[1] 2014 →
Turnout69.1%
Presidential election
  Laura-Chinchilla-cropped.jpg Ottón Solís Fallas, PAC - Costa Rica (cropped).JPG Otto Guevara (cropped 2).jpg
Candidate Laura Chinchilla Ottón Solís Fallas Otto Guevara Guth
Party PLN PAC PML
Home state San José San José San José
Popular vote 896,516 478,877 399,788
Percentage 46.91% 25.05% 20.92%
Resultados 2010 Presidente.svg
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
PML 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.
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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]

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 Chinchilla National Liberation Party 863,803 46.78
Ottón Solís Citizens' Action Party 464,454 25.15
Otto Guevara Libertarian Movement 384,540 20.83
Luis Fishman Social Christian Unity Party 71,330 3.86
Óscar López Accessibility without Exclusion 35,215 1.91
Mayra González Costa Rican Renewal Party 13,376 0.72
Eugenio Trejos Broad Front 6,822 0.37
Rolando Araya Patriotic Alliance Party 3,795 0.21
Walter Muñoz National Integration Party 3,198 0.17
Invalid/blank votes 39,514 –
Total 1,950,847 100
Registered voters/turnout 2,822,491 69.12
Source: TSE
Popular Vote
Chinchilla
 
 46.78%
Solís
 
 25.15%
Guevara
 
 20.83%
Fishman
 
 3.86%
López
 
 1.91%
González
 
 0.72%
Trejos
 
 0.37%
Araya
 
 0.21%
Muñoz
 
 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%
Costa Rica Legislative Assembly 2010.svg
Party Votes % Seats +/–
National Liberation Party 708,043 37.3 24 –1
Citizens' Action Party 334,636 17.6 11 –6
Libertarian Movement 275,518 14.5 9 +3
Accessibility without Exclusion 171,858 9.0 4 +3
Social Christian Unity Party 155,047 8.2 6 +1
Costa Rican Renewal Party 73,150 3.9 1 +1
Broad Front 68,987 3.6 1 0
National Restoration Party 29,530 1.6 1 0
Patriotic Alliance Party 28,349 1.5 0 New
National Integration Party 14,643 0.8 0 0
Cartago Agrarian Union Party 11,862 0.6 0 0
Heredia Restoration Party 7,953 0.4 0 New
Alajuela Restoration Party 7,298 0.4 0 New
Cartaginese Transparency Party 4,590 0.2 0 New
Green Ecologist Party 2,901 0.2 0 New
Elderly Alliance Party 2,724 0.1 0 New
Alajuelan Familiar Force Party 1,609 0.1 0 New
Workers' and Farmers' Movement 1,127 0.1 0 New
Invalid/blank votes 32,883 – – –
Total 1,950,708 100 57 0
Registered voters/turnout 2,822,491 69.1 – –
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[]

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.

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) 700,659 36.96 +0.55 196 -32
Citizens' Action Party (PAC) 331,167 17.47 -7.07 100 -39
Libertarian Movement (ML) 255,411 13.47 +5.07 76 +40
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) 174,462 9.20 +0.31 55 -4
Accessibility without Exclusion (PASE) 143,273 7.56 New 22 New
Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) 51,302 2.71 -0.42 10 +6
Broad Front (FA) 45,399 2.40 +1.90 1 +1
Patriotic Alliance (AP) 28,738 1.52 New 3 New
National Restoration Party (PREN) 24,690 1.30 -0.10 1 -1
21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) 5,643 0.75 +0.50 4 +2
Renew Alajuela Party (PRA) 13,403 0.71 New 1 New
National Integration Party (PIN) 10.121 0.53 -0.35 0 0
Heredia Restoration Party (PREH) 8,797 0.46 New 0 New
Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) 8,145 0.43 +0.05 2 0
Green Ecologist Party (PVE) 5,319 0.28 +0.09 0 0
Sancarlenean Alliance Coalition (FA-AP) (CAS) 4,895 0.26 New 1 New
Cartago Agrarian Union Party (PUAC) 9,029 0.26 -0.40 1 -1
Ramonense League Coalition (FA-AP) (CALIRA) 4,662 0.25 New 1 New
Palmarenean Union Party (PUPal) 4,158 0.22 -0.09 2 0
Party of the Sun (PdS) 4,077 0.22 -0.03 2 0
Fuenteovejuna Civic Party of Tibás (PCFT) 3,655 0.19 New 1 New
Alajuela Restoration Party (PREA) 3,414 0.18 New 0 New
Santo Domingo Advancement Movement (MAS) 3,398 0.18 New 1 New
Goicoechea in Action Party (PGEA) 3,348 0.18 -0.04 1 +1
United Barva Coalition (FA-PASE) (CBU) 3,017 0.16 New 1 New
Alajuelense Coalition (FA-AP) (CALJ) 2,980 0.16 New 1 New
The Bridge and Paths of Mora (PYCM) 2,962 0.16 -0.01 1 -0.01
Authentic Labourer of Coronado Party (PALABRA) 2,848 0.15 -0.04 1 0
Ateniense Union Party (PUA) 2,602 0.14 New 1 New
Barbarenean Integration Party (PINBAR) 2,369 0.14 New 1 New
Elderly Alliance Party (PAM) 2,279 0.12 New 0 New
Unique Abangarean Party (PUAB) 2,229 0.12 New 2 New
Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) 2,116 0.12 +0.00 1 0
United Montes de Oca Coalition (FA-PH) (CMdOU) 2,086 0.12 New 0 New
Social Active Organization (OSA) 2,025 0.11 New 1 New
Independent Belemite Party (PIB) 2,014 0.11 +0.03 1 0
Live Buenos Aires Party (PVBA) 1,791 0.09 New 1 New
Communal Pro-Curri Party (PCPC) 1,718 0.09 -0.08 0 -1
United Heredia Coalition (FA-PH) (CHU) 1,403 0.07 New 0 New
Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) 1,386 0.07 -0.02 0 -2
Autonomous Oromontan Party (PAO) 1,170 0.06 +0.01 1 0
Workers' and Peasants' Movement (MTC) 1,120 0.06 -0.05 0 0
Naranjenean Action Party (PANAR) 1,047 0.06 New 0 New
Alfaro Ruiz Peoples' Coalition (FA-AP) (CPAR) 1,023 0.05 New 1 New
Tarrazú First Party (PTP) 991 0.05 New 0 New
Barbarenean Coalition (FA-AP) (CB) 831 0.05 New 0 New
Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) 709 0.04 -0.01 1 0
United Talamanca Party (PTU) 508 0.03 New 0 New
Aguirre Labour Organization Party (OLA) 456 0.02 -0.01 0 0
Poasenean Patriotic Front Coalition (FA-AP) (CFPP) 345 0.02 New 0 New
Total 1,895,558 100.00 - 496 -4
Invalid votes 55,066 2.83
Votes cast / turnout 1,950,624 65.19
Abstentions 871,867 30.89
Registered voters 2,822,491 100%
Sources[13]

References[]

  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 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2010-02-08.
  3. ^ Jara, Francisco (2010-02-06). "AFP: First female poised for Costa Rica presidency". Retrieved 2010-08-21.
  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 (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. ^ a b c d "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. Archived from the original on 2010-02-11. 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.

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