2010 Costa Rican municipal elections

← 2006

5 December 2010

2016 →

81 mayors, 470 syndics, 1856 district councillors, 8 intendants, 32 municipal district councillor and their alternates^[1]

	First party	Second party	Third party

Leader	Bernal Jiménez Monge	Gerardo Vargas Rojas	Elizabeth Fonseca Corrales
Party	PLN	PUSC	PAC
Mayors	58	9	6
Mayors +/–	1	3	1

	Fourth party	Fifth party	Sixth party

Leader	Otto Guevara Guth	Óscar Andrés López Arias	Justo Orozco Álvarez
Party	PML	PASE	PRC
Mayors	2	2	1
Mayors +/–	1	2	1

Municipal elections were held in Costa Rica on 5 December 2010. Were the third municipal elections in the history of the country and the last on be held in December of the same electoral year due to an electoral reform that turned municipal election to be held mid-term. Because of this the Electoral Supreme Court mandate the constitutional period of the newly elected authorities to last for 6 years for one unique time. The election was for mayors of the 81 cantons, syndics and district councilors for all the country's districts and 8 Intendants for 8 especial autonomous districts.^[2]

Then ruling National Liberation Party was victorious retaining all but one of the mayorships it held before and 6 of the 7 provincial capitals (all except Liberia).^[3] The historical Social Christian Unity Party was the second largest municipal force as before and main opposition party Citizens' Action Party was the third largest unable to repeat its general success in presidential and legislative vote (been the second largest in both in the latest election). The liberal Libertarian Movement and the conservative Accessibility without Exclusion achieve 2 mayors each. While other two mayors came from two local forces in Curridabat and Escazu and one only mayor was elected for the religious Christian party Costa Rican Renewal.

Results

Mayor

List of elected mayors by canton

Cantons

Population

Incumbent mayor

Party

Elected mayor

Party

San José

309,672

Johnny Araya

PLN

Johnny Araya

PLN

Escazú

52,372

Marco Antonio Segura

PLN

Arnoldo Valentín Barahona

YPE

Desamparados

193,478

Maureen Fallas

PLN

Maureen Fallas

PLN

Puriscal

29,407

Jorge Luis Chaves

PLN

Manuel Espinoza

PLN

Tarrazú

14,160

Iván Saurez

PLN

Bernardo Barboza

PLN

Aserrí

57,892

Mario Morales

PLN

Víctor Manuel Mora

PAC

Mora

21,666

Gilberto Monge

PLN

Gilberto Monge

PLN

Goicoechea

117,532

Óscar Enrique Figueroa

PLN

Óscar Enrique Figueroa

PLN

Santa Ana

48,879

Gerardo Oviedo

PLN

Gerardo Oviedo

PLN

Alajuelita

70,297

Tomás Poblador

PLN

Víctor Hugo Echavarría

PUSC

Vázquez de Coronado

55,585

Leonardo Herrera

PLN

Leonardo Herrera

PLN

Acosta

18,661

Rónald Ricardo Durán

PLN

Luis Alberto Durán

PLN

Tibás

72,074

Jorge Antonio Salas

PAC

Gonzalo Vargas

PLN

Moravia

50,419

Edgar Vargas

PAC

Juan Pablo Hernández

PLN

Montes de Oca

50,433

Fernando Trejos

UpC

Fernando Trejos

PRC

Turrubares

4,877

Rafael Vindas

PUSC

Bolívar Monge

PLN

Dota

6,519

José Valverde

PLN

Leonardo Chacón

PLN

Curridabat

60,889

Edgar Eduardo Mora

CSXXI

Edgar Eduardo Mora

CSXXI

Pérez Zeledón

122,187

Rosibel Ramos

PUSC

Luis Mendieta

PLN

León Cortés

11,696

Leonardo Quesada

PLN

Leonardo Quesada

PLN

Alajuela

222,853

Joyce Mary Zurcher

PLN

Roberto Hernán Thompson

PLN

San Ramón

67,975

Raúl Antonio Gómez

PLN

Mercedes Moya

PLN

Grecia

65,119

Giovanny Arguedas

PLN

Adrián Alfonso Barquero

PLN

San Mateo

5,343

Erwen Yanán Masís

PUSC

Jairo Emilio Guzmán

PLN

Atenas

22,479

Wilberth Martín Aguilar

PUSC

Wilberth Martín Aguilar

PUSC

Naranjo

37,602

Eugenio Padilla

PLN

Olga Marta Corrales

PLN

Palmares

29,766

Luis Carlos Castillo

PLN

Bernal Vargas

PLN

Poás

24,764

José Joaquín Brenes

PLN

José Joaquín Brenes

PLN

Orotina

15,705

Emilio Jesús Rodríguez

PLN

Margot Montero

PLN

San Carlos

127,140

Alfredo Córdoba

PLN

Alfredo Córdoba

PLN

Zarcero

10,845

Marco Vinicio Rodríguez

PLN

Alejandro Salas

PUSC

Valverde Vega

16,239

Víctor Manuel Rojas

PUSC

Luis Antonio Barrantes

Upala

37,679

Juan Bosco Acevedo

PLN

Alejandro Ubau

PLN

Los Chiles

19,732

Santiago Millón

PLN

Álvaro Solano

PAC

Guatuso

13,045

Fidel Condega

PLN

Abelino Torres

PAC

Cartago

132,057

Rolando Alberto Rodríguez

PLN

Rolando Alberto Rodríguez

PLN

Paraíso

52,393

Marvin Solano

Jorge Rodríguez

PUSC

La Unión

80,279

Julio Antonio Rojas

PLN

Julio Antonio Rojas

PLN

Jiménez

14,046

Jorge Humberto Solano

PLN

Héctor Luna

PUSC

Turrialba

68,510

Luis Alfonso Pérez

PLN

María Elena Montoya

PLN

Alvarado

12,290

Ángel Raquel López

PLN

Juan Felipe Martínez

PLN

Oreamuno

39,032

Marco Vinicio Redondo

PAC

José Rafael Huertas

PLN

El Guarco

33,788

William Adolfo Cerdas

PLN

Víctor Luis Arias

PLN

Heredia

103,894

José Manuel Ulate

PLN

José Manuel Ulate

PLN

Barva

32,440

Mercedes Hernández

PLN

Mercedes Hernández

PLN

Santo Domingo

34,748

Raúl Isidro Bolaños

PLN

Laura Prado

PLN

Santa Bárbara

29,181

Rolando Hidalgo

PLN

Melvin Alfaro

PLN

San Rafael

37,293

Alberto Vargas

PAC

Jorge Isaac Herrera

PLN

San Isidro

16,056

Elvia Dicciana Villalobos

PLN

Melvin Villalobos

PLN

Belén

19,834

Horacio Alvarado

PUSC

Horacio Alvarado

PUSC

Flores

15,038

Jenny Alfaro

PAC

Gerardo Antonio Rojas

PLN

San Pablo

20,813

Aracelly Salas

PUSC

Aracelly Salas

PUSC

Sarapiquí

57,147

Pedro Rojas

PLN

Pedro Rojas

PLN

Liberia

46,703

Carlos Luis Marín

PLN

Luis Gerardo Castañeda

PASE

Nicoya

42,189

Lorenzo Rosales

PLN

Marco Antonio Jiménez

PLN

Santa Cruz

40,821

Jorge Enrique Chavarría

PLN

Jorge Enrique Chavarría

PLN

Bagaces

15,972

Luis Ángel Rojas

PLN

Luis Ángel Rojas

PLN

Carrillo

27,306

Carlos Gerardo Cantillo

PLN

Carlos Gerardo Cantillo

PLN

Cañas

24,076

Katia María Solórzano

PLN

Lizanías Zúñiga

PAC

Abangares

16,276

Jorge Calvo

PLN

Jorge Calvo

PLN

Tilarán

17,871

Jovel Arias

PUSC

Jovel Arias

PUSC

Nandayure

9,985

Luis Gerardo Rodríguez

PUN

Carlos Arias

La Cruz

16,505

Carlos Matías Gonzaga

PLN

Carlos Matías Gonzaga

PLN

Hojancha

6,534

Juan Rafael Marín

PLN

Eduardo Pineda

PAC

Puntarenas

102,504

Agne Gómez

PLN

Rafael Ángel Rodríguez

PLN

Esparza

23,963

Dagoberto Venegas

PUSC

Asdrúbal Calvo

PLN

Buenos Aires

40,139

Primo Feliciano Álvarez

PLN

Carlos Luis Mora

PLN

Montes de Oro

11,159

Álvaro Jiménez

PLN

Álvaro Jiménez

PLN

Osa

25,861

Jorge Alberto Cole

PLN

Jorge Alberto Cole

PLN

Aguirre

20,188

Óscar Octavio Monge

OLA

Lutgardo Bolaños

PLN

Golfito

33,823

Jimmy José Cubillo

PLN

Dailon Arroyo

PLN

Coto Brus

40,082

Rafael Ángel Navarro

PUSC

Rafael Ángel Navarro

PUSC

Parrita

12,112

Gerardo Roger Acuña

PLN

Freddy Garro

PLN

Corredores

37,274

Gerardo Ramírez

PLN

Xinia Marta Contreras

PLN

Garabito

10,378

Marvin Elizondo

PLN

Marvin Elizondo

PLN

Limón

89,933

Eduardo Barboza

PLN

Néstor Mattis

PLN

Pococí

103,121

Enrique Alfaro

PLN

Jorge Emilio Espinoza

PLN

Siquirres

52,409

Edgar Cambronero

PACSI

Yelgi Lavinia Verley

PASE

Talamanca

25,857

Rugeli Morales

PUSC

Melvin Gerardo Cordero

PLN

Matina

33,096

Lorenzo Colphan

PLN

Elvis Eduardo Lawson

PAC

Guácimo

34,879

Gerardo Fuentes

PLN

Gerardo Fuentes

PLN

Vote percentage

PLN (43.79%)

PUSC (14.49%)

PAC (12.62%)

Cantonal parties (10.56%)

ML (9.64%)

PASE (3.34%)

PRC (2.62%)

PIN (1.21%)

FA (0.68%)

Other (1.05%)

Party		Mayors		Popular vote
Party		Number	Change	Votes	%
	National Liberation Party	58	1	342,563	43.79
	Social Christian Unity Party	9	2	113,394	14.49
	Citizens' Action Party	6	1	98,719	12.62
	Total cantonal parties	2	1	82,609	10.56
	Libertarian Movement	2	1	75,441	9.64
	Accessibility without Exclusion	2	New	26,163	3.34
	Costa Rican Renewal Party	1	1	20,512	2.62
	National Integration Party	0		9,434	1.21
	Broad Front	0		5,354	0.68
	Cartago Agrarian Union Party	0	New	3,498	0.45
	Patriotic Alliance	0	New	2,277	0.29
	Workers' and Peasants' Movement	0	New	1,208	0.15
	Heredia Restoration Party	0	New	625	0.08
	Green Ecologist Party	0	New	612	0.08

Total		81		782,409	100%

Source^[4]

By province

Province	PLN %	PUSC %	PAC %	Reg. %	ML %	PASE %	PRC %	PIN %	FA %	AP %
Province
San José Province	43.12	13.73	16.60	10.33	7.32	3.50	3.97	0.88	0.36	0.19
Alajuela	46.73	7.81	10.97	21.22	8.42	2.72	0.91	0.82	0.06	0.34
Cartago Province	43.84	17.94	11.13	18.24	7.31	1.08	-	-	0.46	-
Heredia	47.15	15.99	8.68	9.38	15.71	2.20	0.89	-	-	-
Guanacaste	40.39	17.04	18.13	2.93	10.08	7.17	-	4.26	-	-
Puntarenas	42.75	21.51	6.52	3.49	12.80	2.89	5.52	3.02	-	1.50
Limón	40.46	14.59	10.16	3.56	12.67	4.75	7.18	0.14	6.49	-
Total	43.79	14.49	12.62	11.32	9.64	3.34	2.62	1.21	0.68	0.29
Source: TSE

Municipal councils, syndics, district councils

Syndics

PLN			72.13%
PUSC			9.57%
PAC			5.74%
Regionalist			5.74%
ML			3.19%
PIN			1.06%
PASE			0.85%
PRC			0.85%

District councillors

PLN			49.20%
PUSC			15.13%
PAC			11.94%
Regionalist			10.51%
ML			7.91%
PASE			2.12%
PRC			1.33%
PIN			1.33%
AP			0.32%
FA			0.21%

Parties and coalitions		Popular vote			Syndics		District Councillors
Parties and coalitions		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/-	Total	+/-
	National Liberation Party (PLN)	335,363	43.13	-2.04	339	-1	927	-13
	Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC)	109,268	14.10	-3.79	45	-21	285	-75
	Citizens' Action Party (PAC)	98,085	12.61	-3.42	27	+5	225	-50
	Libertarian Movement (ML)	76,498	9.84	+4.29	15	+6	149	+78
	Accessibility without Exclusion (PASE)	26,541	3.41	New	4	New	40	New
	Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC)	20,466	2.63	+1.03	4	+3	25	+6
	United for San Carlos Coalition (PAC-FA) (UxSC)	13,365	1.72	New	3	New	24	New
	United Cartago Coalition (FA-PVE-PUSC-PAC) (CCU)	11,350	1.46	New	5	New	19	New
	National Integration Party (PIN)	9,616	1.24	-0.08	5	+3	25	+6
	Renew Alajuela Party (PRA)	8.144	1.05	New	2	New	11	New
	21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI)	7,455	0.96	+0.40	4	0	12	+4
	Broad Front (FA)	5,834	0.75	+0.61	0	0	4	+3
	Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE)	4,954	0.63	+0.03	2	+1	5	0
	Ramonense Coalition (PAC-FA) (CR)	4,444	0.57	New	1	New	17	New
	Cartago Agrarian Union Party (PUAC)	3,353	0.43	+0.43	1	+1	8	+8
	Party of the Sun (PdS)	2,644	0.34	-0.01	0	0	11	+5
	Palmarenean Union Party (PUPal)	2,561	0.33	-0.05	1	+1	10	+1
	Goicoechea in Action Party (PGEA)	2,494	0.32	-0.01	0	0	4	0
	Santo Domingo Advancement Movement (MAS)	2,273	0.29	New	1	New	9	New
	Fuenteovejuna Civic Party of Tibás (PCFT)	2,228	0.29	New	1	New	1	New
	Patriotic Alliance (AP)	2,218	0.29	New	0	New	6	New
	Ateniense Union Party (PUA)	2,077	0.27	New	2	New	16	New
	Desamparados Cantonal Accord Party (PACD)	1,950	0.25	New	0	New	3	New
	All for Flores Party (TxF)	1,808	0.23	New	1	New	4	New
	Authentic Labourer of Coronado Party (PALABRA)	1,747	0.22	+0.13	0	0	4	+4
	Poaseña Union Party (PUNPO)	1,640	0.21	+0.17	0	0	8	+8
	The Bridge and Paths of Mora (PYCM)	1,576	0.20	-0.06	1	0	4	-2
	Liberian Union Coalition (PUSC-ML) (CUL)	1,322	0.17	New	0	New	1	New
	United Montes de Oca Coalition (FA-PH) (CUL)	1,309	0.17	New	0	New	4	New
	Unique Abangarean Party (PUAB)	1,119	0.14	New	0	New	3	New
	Workers' and Peasants' Movement (MTC)	1,118	0.14	New	0	New	1	New
	Tarrazú First Party (PTP)	1,084	0.14	New	0	New	3	New
	Social Active Organization (OSA)	1,062	0.14	New	0	New	4	New
	Naranjenean Action Party (PANAR)	956	0.12	New	0	New	0	New
	United Barva Coalition (FA-PASE) (CBU)	952	0.12	New	0	New	2	New
	Ecological Garabito Party (PEG)	906	0.12	+0.12	1	+1	3	+3
	Green Ecologist Party (PVE)	906	0.12	-0.43	0	0	0	-5
	Belemite Independent Party (PIB)	886	0.11	-0.01	0	0	2	+1
	Autonomous Oromontan Party (PAO)	875	0.11	+0.04	1	+1	3	+3
	Barbarenean Integration Party (PINBAR)	867	0.11	-0.19	0	-2	0	-10
	Heredia Restoration Party (PREH)	854	0.11	New	0	New	0	New
	Cartago Transparency Party (PTCAR)	850	0.11	New	0	New	0	New
	Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI)	833	0.11	-0.21	0	New	0	New
	Zarcereña Alliance Coalition (PAC-FA) (CAZ)	697	0.09	New	0	New	2	New
	Quepeña Action Party (PAQ)	332	0.04	-0.07	0	0	0	-2
	United Talamanca Party (PTU)	240	0.03	New	0	New	0	New
	Aguirre Labour Organization Party (OLA)	59	0.01	-0.22	0	-2	0	-4

Total		767,769	100.00		470	+2	1884	+8

Invalid votes		18,799	2.36	-0.49
Votes cast / turnout		786,568	27.82	+4.21
Abstentions		2,066,319	72.18
Registered voters		2,852,887
Sources^[5]

References

^ Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. "Elecciones municipales en cifras 2002-2016" (PDF). tse.go.cr. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
^ "Costa Rica". Retrieved 13 March 2016.
^ "He's back: Johnny Araya will be San José mayor again, while his former party leads in other mayoral races". The Tico Times. January 7, 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
^ "Declaratorias de elección 2006". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
^ "Elecciones Municipales 2020". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 6 January 2020.