1962 Costa Rican general election

1962 Costa Rican general election

4 February 1962
Turnout	80.9%
Nominee Francisco Orlich Rafael Calderón Otilio Ulate Party PLN PRN PUN Home state Alajuela San José San José Popular vote 192,850 135,533 51,740 Percentage 50% 35.3% 13.5%
In green provinces won by Orlich, blue by Calderón
President before election Mario Echandi PUN Elected President Francisco Orlich PLN
Legislative election
Party Leader Vote % Seats +/– PLN Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich 48.9% 29 +9 PRN Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia 33.5% 18 +7 PUN Otilio Ulate Blanco 13.3% 8 −2 PADP Enrique Obregón Valverde 20.5% 1 New This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 4 February 1962. Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich of the National Liberation Party won the presidential election, whilst his party also won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 80.9%.

Background

During Mario Echandi’s presidency Rafael Angel Calderón, his family and supporters in exile, were allowed to return and a general amnesty was called for everyone involved in the still recent Civil War of 1948. Calderón was elected Congressman in the 1958 election. But meanwhile in the past election the National Liberation Party was split due to the separation of the “Rossist” faction in this election Calderon’s candidacy unified PLN and other political allies into a strong anti-Calderonist ballot.

Both former presidents Otilio Ulate from National Union and Calderón himself from National Republican became candidates. PLN’s candidate was, as in 1958, Francisco Orlich, one of the party’s founder, commander of one of the fronts during the civil war and Figueres’ close friend.

A fourth small left-wing party named Popular Democratic Action led by socialist thinker Enrique Obregón also took part in the election nominating Obregon. Communism was illegal according to the Constitution and Marxist Parties were not allowed, but Obregon’s party was officially socialist so the prohibition was not endorsed. Even so, Obregón did had the support of the traditional leadership and militancy of the (outlawed) Communist Party.

Campaign

All parties promised land reform. Calderon’s publicity was particular in saying “Yesterday social reform, today land reform” taking advantage of the socialist reforms during his presidency. As the Cuban Revolution was recent the anti-Communist speech was common. All main parties accused each other of having links with Communism; PLN because of its socialist ideology (social democracy) and Figueres alleged friendship with Fidel Castro and Calderón because of his previous alliance with the Communists in the 1940s. The far-right anti-Communist group Free Costa Rica Movement paid for a strong anti-Communist propaganda, especially against Popular Democratic Action.

Results

President

Popular Vote
National Liberation			50.3%
National Republican			35.3%
National Union			13.5%
Popular Dem. Action			0.9%

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich	National Liberation Party	192,850	50.3
	Rafael Ángel Calderón Guardia	National Republican Party	135,533	35.3
	Otilio Ulate Blanco	National Union Party	51,740	13.5
	Enrique Obregón Valverde	Popular Democratic Action	3,339	0.9
Invalid/blank votes			7,994	–
Total			391,406	100
Registered voters/turnout			483,980	80.9
Source: Nohlen; Election Resources

By province

Province	Orlich %	Calderón %	Ulate %	Obregón %
San José	49.1	36.7	13.3	0.9
Alajuela	51.9	29.5	18.1	0.6
Cartago	56.7	30.8	12.1	0.5
Heredia	47.6	38.8	12.5	1.1
Puntarenas	43.9	42.2	11.9	2.0
Limón	45.0	46.7	7.3	1.0
Guanacaste	54.4	33.3	11.7	0.6
Total	50.3	35.3	13.5	0.9

Parliament

Popular Vote
National Liberation			48.9%
National Republican			33.5%
National Union			13.3%
Popular Dem. Action			2.5%
Solidarist Action			0.9%
Alajuelan			0.5%
National Depuration			0.3%
Guan. Independent			0.2%
National Renewal			0.1%

Seats
National Liberation			50.8%
National Republican			31.5%
National Union			14.1%
Popular Dem. Action			3.5%

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	National Liberation Party	184,135	48.9	29	+9
	National Republican Party	126,249	33.5	18	+8
	National Union Party	50,021	13.3	8	-2
	Popular Democratic Action	6,256	2.5	2	New
	Solidarist Action Party	3,358	0.9	0	New
	Alajuelan Party	1,698	0.5	0	New
	National Depuration Movement	1,192	0.3	0	New
	Guanacastecan Independent Union	903	0.2	0	New
	National Renewal Party	125	0.1	0	New
Invalid/blank votes		14,543	–	–	–
Total		391,406	100	57	+12
Registered voters/turnout		483,980	80.9	–	–
Source: TSE; Election Resources

By province

Province	PLN		PRN		PUN		ADP		PAS		PA		MDN		UIG		PREN
	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
San José	47.1	9	34.4	7	13.0	2	2.6	2	2.2	0	-	-	0.8	0	-	-	-	-
Alajuela	50.3	6	28.0	3	17.0	2	2.3	0	-	-	2.4	0	-	-	-	-	-	-
Cartago	56.2	4	29.8	2	12.8	1	1.2	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Heredia	47.6	2	36.8	1	12.6	1	3.0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Puntarenas	42.9	3	40.1	2	12.1	1	4.9	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Limón	45.3	2	44.1	1	7.0	0	2.8	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	0.8	0
Guanacaste	52.3	3	32.2	2	11.9	1	0.8	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.8	0	-	-
Total	48.9	29	33.5	18	13.3	8	2.5	2	0.9	0	0.5	0	0.3	0	0.2	0	0.1	0

Local governments

Vote percentage

  PLN (49.87%)

  PRN (33.78%)

  PUN (13.64%)

  ADP (1.77%)

  PAS (0.37%)

  PA (0.19%)

  UGI (0.15%)

  MDN (0.13%)

  PREN (0.11%)

Parties		Popular vote			Alderpeople		Municipal Syndics
		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/-	Total	+/-
	National Liberation Party (PLN)	187,293	49.87	+7.34	148	+23	280	+17
	National Republican Party (PR)	126,849	33.78	+12.87	93	+46	42	+19
	National Union Party (PUN)	51,239	13.64	-10.47	31	-39	2	-30
	Popular Democratic Action (ADP)	6,643	1.77	New	2	New	2	New
	Solidarist Action Part (PAS)	1,371	0.37	New	1	New	0	New
	Alajuelan Party (PA)	724	0.19	New	0	New	0	New
	Guanacastecan Independent Union Party (UGI)	550	0.15	New	0	New	0	New
	National Depuration Movement (MDN)	470	0.13	New	0	New	0	New
	National Renewal Party (PREN)	416	0.11	New	0	New	0	New
Total		375,555	100.00	-	275	+21	324	+4
Invalid votes		16,153	4.12
Votes cast / turnout		391,708	80.93
Abstentions		92,272	19.07
Registered voters		483,980	100%
Sources