Elections in Costa
Rica, Who Can Vote, Where And When Results
Are Available
The political parties and candidates closed
their propaganda campaigns in accordance
with the elections tribunal regulations,
allowing Costa Ricans a three day respite
from the politicians, to reflect before
voting on Sunday, February 7.
Who can vote? In Costa Rica any citizen 18
years of age and older at the time of the
election can vote by presenting their 'cedula'
at the local voting station.
Where do I vote? The Tribunal Supremo de
Elecciones (TSE) has established polling
stations and registered voters can vote at
their nearest polling station based on their
residence. To find out where you can vote,
go to
http://www.tse.go.cr/ and enter
your complete name and cedula number.
Costa Ricans will be able to vote for one
president from the choice offered on the
voting ballot. Legislators are not directly
elected, rather the lawmakers that fill the
57 legislative assembly are decided
according to the number of votes cast for
each party.
The country is divided into seven provinces
with a predetermined number of legislative
seats: San José with 20; Alajuela with 11;
Cartago with 7, Heredia with 5; Puntarenas
with 5; and Guanacaste with 4.
A presidential candidate must obtain at
least 40% of the votes cast to be declared a
winner. If no candidate reaches the required
40%, a run off election will be held in the
first Sunday in April between the two
candidates with the highest number of votes.
The new president takes office on May 8,
taking the "presidential sash" from current
president, Oscar Arias, in a public
ceremony.
The February 7 elections will cost Costa
Ricans some ˘7.85 billion colones (a little
over us$14 million dollars) and an
additional ˘1.35 billion colones is
earmarked in the event of the need for a run
off election.
The voting results will be available the
evening of February 7, when the count from
each of the 6.617 polling station will be
sent electronically to the TSE offices in
San José, which is promised to be posted at
the
TSE website beginning at 8pm.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
