1990 Costa Rican general election

1990 Costa Rican general election
	Presidential election
Turnout	81.81% (0.01pp)
	Results by canton
President before election; Oscar Arias; PLN	Elected President ; Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier; PUSC
	Parliamentary election
	All 57 seats in the Legislative Assembly; 29 seats needed for a majority
	Results by province

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 4 February 1990.^[1] Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier of the Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 81.8%.^[2]

Unlike previous elections, Calderon's nomination was not undisputed. Despite expressing that he would not run again for President after the results of the previous race, he was eventually convinced by his followers. Yet, young former minister and business man Miguel Ángel Rodríguez Echeverría from the liberal faction inside PUSC choose to face Calderón at the primaries.^[3]^[4] Former deputy José Hine from PUSC's left wing also run with testimonial results.

Despite the fact that Rodríguez clearly had no chance against Calderón, his candidacy was considered a smart move, as he would start to be in the spotlight and helping his way in future nominations.^[5] As expected, Calderón won the primary election with 75% of the votes. On the other sidewalk former vice president Carlos Manuel Castillo won over young minister Rolando Araya Monge (nephew of ex-president Luis Alberto Monge) in PLN's primaries after a very hostile and traumatic campaign, in which Castillo even accused Araya of links with Narcotraffic, something that weakened PLN.^[6] Minor parties proliferated in this election, with up to 12 different parties taking part, of which only left-wing coalition United People having some relevance with sociologist Victor Daniel Camacho as nominee earning 3% of the votes.

Results

President


Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier	Social Christian Unity Party	694,589	51.49
	Carlos Manuel Castillo Morales [es]	National Liberation Party	636,701	47.20
	Víctor Daniel Camacho Monge [es]	United People	9,217	0.68
	Fernando Ramírez Muñoz	Christian National Alliance Party [es]	4,209	0.31
	Isaac Felipe Azofeifa	Party of Progress	2,547	0.19
	Edwin Badilla Agüero	Militant Workers Revolutionary Party	1,005	0.07
	Rodrigo Alberto Cordero	Independent Party [es]	746	0.06
Total			1,349,014	100.00

Valid votes			1,349,014	97.45
Invalid votes			29,919	2.16
Blank votes			5,393	0.39
Total votes			1,384,326	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			1,692,050	81.81
Source: Election Resources

By province

Province	Calderón %	Castillo %	Camacho %	Ramírez %	Azofeifa%	Badilla %	Cordero %
Province
San José	49.39	49.25	0.75	0.28	0.22	0.06	0.05
Alajuela	51.41	47.59	0.43	0.32	0.15	0.06	0.05
Cartago	50.37	48.57	0.53	0.20	0.19	0.08	0.06
Heredia	50.76	47.79	0.73	0.36	0.25	0.05	0.05
Guanacaste	52.72	46.39	0.44	0.24	0.09	0.07	0.05
Puntarenas	56.21	42.24	0.82	0.40	0.15	0.11	0.07
Limón	60.82	37.07	1.06	0.58	0.16	0.21	0.11
Total	51.51	47.20	0.66	0.31	0.19	0.07	0.06

Parliament



Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Christian Unity Party	617,478	46.21	29	+4
	National Liberation Party	559,632	41.88	25	–4
	United People	44,161	3.31	1	0
	General Union Party [es]	32,307	2.42	1	+1
	Christian National Alliance Party [es]	22,149	1.66	0	0
	Cartago Agrarian Union Party	14,190	1.06	1	0
	National Independent Party	10,635	0.80	0	New
	Party of Progress	7,733	0.58	0	New
	Alajuelense Solidarity Party	7,330	0.55	0	0
	Independent Party [es]	5,564	0.42	0	0
	Authentic Limonense Party	4,901	0.37	0	0
	Agrarian Labour Action Party	4,756	0.36	0	New
	National Agrarian Party [es]	4,594	0.34	0	New
	Militant Workers Revolutionary Party	742	0.06	0	New
Total		1,336,172	100.00	57	0

Valid votes		1,336,172	96.55
Invalid votes		32,723	2.36
Blank votes		15,061	1.09
Total votes		1,383,956	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,692,050	81.79
Source: Election Resources

By province

Province	PUSC		PLN		PU		PUGEN		ANC		PNI		PdP		Others

	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
San José	44.41	10	43.08	9	4.50	1	3.77	1	1.86	0	0.91	0	0.70	0	0.84	0
Alajuela	46.90	5	43.47	5	1.43	0	0.55	0	1.41	0	0.46	0	0.39	0	5.39	0
Cartago	43.22	3	40.71	2	2.71	0	1.58	0	0.95	0	0.85	0	0.54	0	9.44	1
Heredia	46.87	3	42.91	2	4.38	0	1.84	0	1.75	0	0.80	0	1.16	0	0.29	0
Guanacaste	50.52	3	46.12	2	1.00	0	0.57	0	0.97	0	0.61	0	0.10	0	0.11	0
Puntarenas	49.87	3	38.30	3	2.96	0	4.60	0	2.30	0	1.24	0	0.33	0	0.39	0
Limón	50.14	2	29.44	2	4.11	0	0.62	0	2.18	0	0.51	0	0.53	0	12.47	0
Total	46.21	29	41.88	25	3.31	1	2.42	1	1.66	0	0.80	0	0.58	0	3.14	1

Local governments


Party		Votes	%	Seats
Party		Votes	%	Alderpeople	+/–	Municipal syndics	+/–
	Social Christian Unity Party	623,021	46.70	274	+42	265	+151
	National Liberation Party	569,974	42.72	232	–28	161	–145
	United People	44,765	3.36	6	+3	0	0
	General Union Party [es]	28,243	2.12	4	+2	0	0
	Christian National Alliance Party [es]	17,411	1.30	2	+2	0	0
	National Independent Party	12,836	0.96	0	0	0	0
	Party of Progress	7,815	0.59	0	New	0	New
	Agrarian Labour Action Party	5,444	0.41	3	New	0	New
	Alajuelense Solidarity Party	5,298	0.40	0	–1	0	0
	National Agrarian Party [es]	5,017	0.38	2	New	0	New
	Independent Party [es]	4,492	0.34	1	+1	0	0
	Authentic Limonense Party	3,744	0.28	1	0	0	0
	National Union Party	2,221	0.17	0	New	0	New
	New Alajuelita Party	2,012	0.15	1	0	0	0
	Humanist Party	1,929	0.14	0	New	0	New
Total		1,334,222	100.00	526	+22	426	+6

Valid votes		1,334,222	96.42
Invalid/blank votes		49,520	3.58
Total votes		1,383,742	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,691,689	81.80
Source: TSE^[7]

References

^ Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p155 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
^ Nohlen, p157
^ Láscaris, Constantino (1965). "El desarrollo de las Ideas Filosóficas en Costa Rica". Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
^ "Rodríguez: balance final". La Nacion.
^ Picado Leon, Hugo. "Proceso de selección de candid atos a presidente y diputados en el PLN y el PUSC (1990-2006)" (PDF). OPAL.
^ Fernández, Oscar. "Costa Rica. La reafirmación del bipartidismo". Revista Nueva Sociedad. 131: 4–10.
^ "Elecciones Regidurías 1990". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

[DN-1] Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p155 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6

[2] Nohlen, p157

[3] Láscaris, Constantino (1965). "El desarrollo de las Ideas Filosóficas en Costa Rica". Archived from the original on 30 August 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2019.

[4] "Rodríguez: balance final". La Nacion.

[5] Picado Leon, Hugo. "Proceso de selección de candid atos a presidente y diputados en el PLN y el PUSC (1990-2006)" (PDF). OPAL.

[6] Fernández, Oscar. "Costa Rica. La reafirmación del bipartidismo". Revista Nueva Sociedad. 131: 4–10.

[7] "Elecciones Regidurías 1990". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

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v t e Elections and referendums in Costa Rica
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Local elections	2002 2006 2010 2016 2020 2024
Referendums	1870 2007
See also: Elections in the Federal Republic of Central America