2002 Costa Rican municipal elections
Municipal and local elections were held for the first time in Costa Rica on 1 December 2002. This was the first time citizens of the 81 cantons were able to directly choose their mayors as previously the municipal executive was appointed by the city council.[ 2] A syndic and 4 District Councilors were also elected for each canton’s district as 8 intendants for especial districts with administrative autonomy.
Then ruling Social Christian Unity Party had its best results in history on a local election gaining most of the mayors and councilors; 48 mayors and 785 syndics and councilors.[ 2] National Liberation Party , then main opposition force, earn the second largest number of both with 27 mayors and 676.[ 2] Costa Rica was still pretty much under a two-party system at the time even when in the recent general election the new force Citizens Action Party surprised with high voting for president and parliament, in this first municipal running achieve only one mayor in Montes de Oca (the party’s hometown).[ 2]
List of elected mayors by canton Cantons Population Elected mayor Party San José 309,672 Johnny Araya PLN Escazú 52,372 Marco Antonio Segura PLN Desamparados 193,478 Carlos Alberto Padilla PLN Puriscal 29,407 Carlos Araya PUSC Tarrazú 14,160 José Rodolfo Naranjo PUSC Aserrí 57,892 Mario Morales PLN Mora 21,666 Alcides Ovidio Araya PLN Goicoechea 117,532 Carlos Luis Murillo PUSC Santa Ana 48,879 Rónald Octavio Traña PUSC Alajuelita 70,297 Víctor Hugo Echavarría PUSC Vázquez de Coronado 55,585 Rolando Méndez PUSC Acosta 18,661 Rónald Ricardo Durán PLN Tibás 72,074 Percy Kenneth Rodríguez PUSC Moravia 50,419 Alejandro Hidalgo PLN Montes de Oca 50,433 Sonia María Montero PAC Turrubares 4,877 Roberto González PUSC Dota 6,519 Mario Enrique Umaña PLN Curridabat 60,889 Luz de los Ángeles Retana CSXXI Pérez Zeledón 122,187 Rosibel Ramos PUSC León Cortés 11,696 Sergio Picado PUSC Alajuela 222,853 Fabio Molina PLN San Ramón 67,975 Osvaldo Vargas PUSC Grecia 65,119 Freddy Barrantes PUSC San Mateo 5,343 Erwen Yanán Masís PUSC Atenas 22,479 Wilberth Martín Aguilar PUSC Naranjo 37,602 Mario Bolívar Solís PLN Palmares 29,766 Mario Alberto Rojas PUSC Poás 24,764 Carlos Eduardo Soto PLN Orotina 15,705 José Joaquín Peraza PUSC San Carlos 127,140 Alfredo Córdoba PLN Alfaro Ruiz 10,845 Manuel Enrique Durán PUSC Valverde Vega 16,239 Víctor Manuel Rojas PUSC Upala 37,679 Juan Bosco Acevedo PLN Los Chiles 19,732 Santiago Millón PLN Guatuso 13,045 Carlos Luis Corrales PUSC Cartago 132,057 Harold Humberto Góngora PUSC Paraíso 52,393 Marvin Solano PAPAR La Unión 80,279 Guillermo Arturo Zúñiga PIO Jiménez 14,046 Jorge Humberto Solano PLN Turrialba 68,510 Marvin Gerardo Orocú PUSC Alvarado 12,290 Ángel Raquel López PLN Oreamuno 39,032 Gerardo Walter Granados PUSC El Guarco 33,788 Luis Rafael Flores PUSC Heredia 103,894 Javier Carvajal PUSC Barva 32,440 Omar Enrique Trigueros PUSC Santo Domingo 34,748 Erika Lizette Linares PLN Santa Bárbara 29,181 Luis Paulino Rodríguez PUSC San Rafael 37,293 Jorge Isaac Herrera PLN San Isidro 16,056 Elvia Dicciana Villalobos PLN Belén 19,834 Víctor Manuel Víquez PLN Flores 15,038 Marvin Murillo PUSC San Pablo 20,813 Aracelly Salas PUSC Sarapiquí 57,147 Pedro Rojas PLN Liberia 46,703 Ricardo Adolfo Samper PLN Nicoya 42,189 Bernardo Vargas PLN Santa Cruz 40,821 Pastor Gómez PUSC Bagaces 15,972 Guillermo Aragón PUSC Carrillo 27,306 José María Guevara PUSC Cañas 24,076 Gilberto Jerez PLN Abangares 16,276 Víctor Julio Cabezas PUSC Tilarán 17,871 Jovel Arias PUSC Nandayure 9,985 Luis Gerardo Rodríguez PGI La Cruz 16,505 Junnier Alberto Salazar PUSC Hojancha 6,534 Juan Rafael Marín PLN Puntarenas 102,504 Omar Obando PUSC Esparza 23,963 Dagoberto Venegas PUSC Buenos Aires 40,139 Giovanni Fallas PUSC Montes de Oro 11,159 Álvaro Jiménez PLN Osa 25,861 José Gabriel Villachica PUSC Aguirre 20,188 Alex Max Contreras PUSC Golfito 33,823 Mauricio Alvarado PUSC Coto Brus 40,082 Gerardo Wilson Chaves PUSC Parrita 12,112 Ramón Fernando Godínez PUSC Corredores 37,274 Augusto César Moya PUSC Garabito 10,378 Luis Fernando Villalobos PUSC Limón 89,933 Róger Mainor Rivera PUSC Pococí 103,121 Manuel Hernández PUSC Siquirres 52,409 Miguel Gerardo Quirós PUSC Talamanca 25,857 Rugeli Morales PUSC Matina 33,096 Rodrigo Gómez PRC Guácimo 34,879 Gerardo Fuentes PLN
Vote percentage
PUSC (36.72%)
PLN (32.78%)
PAC (12.84%)
Cantonal parties (5.77%)
ML (4.02%)
PRC (3.02%)
FD (1.29%)
PIO (0.95%)
C2000 (0.83%)
PRESNA (0.68%)
PIN (0.61%)
Other (0.49%)
Party Mayors Popular vote Number Votes % Social Christian Unity Party 47 188,612 36,72 National Liberation Party 28 168,410 32,78 Citizens' Action Party 1 65,968 12.84 Total cantonal parties 2 30,273 5.77 Libertarian Movement 0 20,655 4.02 Costa Rican Renewal Party 1 15,497 3.02 Democratic Force 0 6,606 1.29 Independent Workers' Party 1 4,904 0.95 Coalition Change 2000 0 4,272 0.83 National Rescue Party 0 3,488 0.68 National Integration Party 0 3,119 0.61 Independent Guanacaste Party 1 1,259 0.25 Agrarian Labour Action Party 0 569 0.11 Cartago Agrarian Union Party 0 532 0.10 General Union Party 0 96 0.02 Total 81 514,260 100% Source[ 3]
By province
Province PUSC % PLN % PAC % Reg. % ML % PRC % FD % PIO % C2000 % PRESNA % PIN % San José Province 29.90 35.12 13.57 12.50 3.66 1.05 1.36 1.46 0.82 0.25 0.31 Alajuela 39.04 38.79 11.46 1.26 2.77 1.30 - - 1.03 2.74 1.61 Cartago Province 37.35 31.03 14.43 7.75 1.52 - 3.06 4.58 - - 0.28 Heredia 34.33 34.07 17.65 3.69 3.74 4.08 - 0.35 0.36 - 1.73 Guanacaste 42.84 29.13 11.97 3.41 3.00 7.06 2.07 - 0.36 0.16 - Puntarenas 46.07 24.96 11.94 3.43 8.63 2.75 1.44 - 0.78 - - Limón 36.11 24.68 9.19 4.72 7.40 13.06 2.12 - 2.72 - - Total 36.72 32.78 12.84 6.26 4.02 3.02 1.29 0.95 0.83 0.68 0.61 Source: TSE
The elections of municipal councilors of Costa Rica in 2002 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.
Parties Popular vote Alderpeople Votes % ±pp Total +/- Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) 469,305 30.92 -9.94 180 -91 National Liberation Party (PLN) 443,320 29.21 -6.17 178 -48 Citizens' Action Party (PAC) 310,201 20.44 New 101 New Libertarian Movement (ML) 84,167 5.55 +3.12 13 +9 Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) 54,547 3.59 +1.73 7 +7 Democratic Force (FD) 40,114 2.64 -3.53 4 -20 National Integration Party (PIN) 25,038 1.65 -0.08 1 -2 Coalition Change 2000 (C2000) 17,612 1.16 New 1 New Agrarian Labour Action Party (PALA) 9,225 0.61 -0.49 2 -5 Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) 7,765 0.51 -0.19 3 -1 National Rescue Party (PRESNA) 7,510 0.49 -0.33 1 New Independent Workers' Party (PIO) 7,460 0.49 New 1 New National Agrarian Party (PAN) 5,032 0.33 -0.24 1 -4 Party of the Sun (PdS) 4,880 0.32 +0.06 2 0 Cartago Agrarian Force (FAC) 4,024 0.27 +0.09 0 New 21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) 3,726 0.25 -0.12 1 -1 Authentic Paraisian Party (PAPAR) 3,264 0.22 New 1 New National Convergence Party (PCN) 2,927 0.19 -0.10 0 -1 General Union Party (PUG) 2,495 0.16 -0.83 0 -3 Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) 1,956 0.13 New 2 New Authentic Sarapiquenean Party (PASAR) 1,779 0.12 New 1 New New Alajuelita Party (PALNU) 1,773 0.12 +0.02 1 0 Humanist Party of Montes de Oca (PH-MdO) 1,212 0.08 -0.06 0 -1 Alliance for San José Party (PASJ) 1,127 0.07 New 0 New Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) 1,079 0.07 New 0 New Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) 983 0.06 New 2 New Humanist Party of San José (PH-SJO) 919 0.06 New 0 New Golfitenean Action Party (PAGOL) 772 0.05 -0.00 0 0 Independent Guanacaste Party (PGI) 759 0.05 -0.14 0 -2 Independent Belemite Party (PIB) 618 0.04 -0.06 0 -1 Limonense Conscience Party (PCL) 617 0.04 New 0 New Humanist Party of Heredia (PH-Her) 517 0.03 -0.05 0 0 National Patriotic Party (PPN) 485 0.03 New 0 New New Corredores Party (PUG) 457 0.03 New 0 New Humanist Party of Barva (PH-Barva) 183 0.01 New 0 New Total 1,517,848 100.00 - 503 -75 Invalid votes 51,628 3.29 Votes cast / turnout 1,569,476 68.84 Abstentions 710,375 31.16 Registered voters 2,279,851 100% Sources[ 4]
Syndics and district councils [ edit ] Syndics PUSC
49.24% PLN
41.47% PAC
3.02% Regionalist
3.02% ML
0.86% PRC
0.86% PIO
0.86% C2000
0.22% PIN
0.22% PRESNA
0.22%
District councillors PUSC
43.10% PLN
36.89% PAC
9.82% Regionalist
3.67% PRC
2.59% ML
1.40% PIO
0.81% PRESNA
0.59% C2000
0.38% PIN
0.32%
Parties and coalitions Popular vote Syndics District Councillors Votes % Total +/- Total Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) 184,902 36.85 228 -67 799 National Liberation Party (PLN) 169,660 33.81 192 +47 684 Citizens' Action Party (PAC) 63,270 12.61 14 New 182 Libertarian Movement (ML) 16,367 3.26 4 +4 26 Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) 15,665 3.21 4 +4 48 Democratic Force (FD) 6,539 1.30 0 0 8 Coalition Change 2000 (C2000) 4,797 0.96 1 New 7 Independent Workers' Party (PIO) 4,444 0.89 4 New 15 Alliance to Advance Party (PAPA) 4,421 0.88 0 New 5 Alliance for San José Party (PASJ) 4,037 0.80 0 New 3 Authentic Paraisian Party (PAPAR) 3,586 0.71 2 New 6 National Integration Party (PIN) 3,189 0.64 1 +1 6 Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) 2,670 0.53 1 -2 4 National Rescue Party (PRESNA) 2,354 0.47 1 +1 11 Party of the Sun (PdS) 1,844 0.37 2 0 8 Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) 1,652 0.33 2 New 7 We Are All San José Party (SJST) 1,651 0.33 0 New 1 21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) 1,412 0.28 2 +1 4 Independent Guanacaste Party (PGI) 1,181 0.24 2 +2 9 Authentic Sarapiquenean Party (PASAR) 978 0.19 2 New 9 Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) 941 0.19 0 New 3 Change Now (CYA) 833 0.17 0 New 0 Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) 819 0.16 1 New 3 Authentic Cantonal Option Movement (MOCA) 692 0.14 0 New 0 Curridabat Movement (MCur) 642 0.13 0 New 1 Agrarian Labour Action Party (PALA) 544 0.11 0 -2 3 Independent Belemite Party (PIB) 532 0.11 0 0 1 Cartago Agrarian Union Party (PUAC) 503 0.10 0 0 0 Santacrucean Rebirth Party (PRS) 490 0.10 0 New 0 Humanist Party of Montes de Oca (PH-MdO) 394 0.08 0 0 1 New Corredores Party (PUG) 288 0.06 0 New 1 Limonense Conscience Party (PCL) 256 0.05 0 New 0 Humanist Party of Heredia (PH-Her) 125 0.02 0 0 0 General Union Party (PUGEN) 62 0.01 0 0 0 Total 500,080 100.00 463 +16 1854 Invalid votes 20,803 3.98 Votes cast / turnout 520,883 22.64 Abstentions 1,785,510 77.36 Registered voters 2,306,393 Sources[ 5]