Costa Rican general election, 2002

Costa Rican general election, 2002

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 Home state San José Alajuela 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

Costa Rica
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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

Parliament

References

Elections and referendums in Costa Rica
Presidential elections	1844 1847 1853 1859 1860 1863 1866 1889 1893 1897 1901 1905 1909 1913 1917 1919 1923 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1953 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Parliamentary elections	1844 1847 1853 1859 1860 1863 1866 1889 1893 1897 1901 1905 1909 1913 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 (Feb) 1948 (Dec) 1949 1953 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014
Local elections	2002 2006 2010 2016
Referendums	1870 2007
See also: Elections in the Federal Republic of Central America