1958 Costa Rican general election

1958 Costa Rican general election
Turnout	64%
	Results by canton
President before election; José Figueres; PLN	Elected President ; Mario Echandi; PUN
	Legislative election

General elections were held in Costa Rica on 2 February 1958.^[1] Mario Echandi Jiménez of the National Union Party won the presidential election, whilst the National Liberation Party won the parliamentary election. Voter turnout was 64.7%.^[2]

Echandi was the only deputy for the National Union Party fraction for the 1953-1958 period, and he was in open opposition to the National Liberation Party (PLN) legislative fraction and the executive power presidency of Figueres Ferrer, also of PLN. During the tense invasion of 1955 when former president Rafael Angel Calderon's supporters and their international allies tried to invade Costa Rica's territory and were successfully repelled by Figueres Ferrer’ government, Echandi was accused of been Calderonista and been offered an office as minister from Calderón.^[3] Echandi denied it but was put under investigation by the Legislative Assembly.^[3] The opposition, encompassed by both Echandi's party National Union and Calderón's Independent Republican left the Assembly in protest.^[3] Still Echandi was acquitted and the old loyalties before the war were starting to switch. Echandi as candidate from National Union promised to allow Calderón and family (then exiled in Mexico) to return to Costa Rica and give a general amnesty for all of Calderón's supporters. This gained him the support of the Calderonism, still a powerful political base.^[3]

But, whilst PLN's opposition was closing lines, PLN was splitting. After a primary election that was won by Francisco José Orlich (one of PLN's founders and one of the leaders of the 1948 Revolution) his opponent Jorge Rossi left the party and founded a new one called Independent Party.^[3] As expected, Rossi's departure and his new party caused a spoiler effect dividing the Social Democratic vote and Echandi won the election with the support of Calderonists.^[3]

Echandi did fulfill his promise and allowed Calderón and family to return and passed a general amnesty for all factions.^[3]

Results

President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Mario Echandi Jiménez	National Union Party	102,851	46.4
	Francisco Orlich Bolmarcich	National Liberation Party	94,788	42.8
	Jorge Rossi Chavarría	Independent Party^es	23,910	10.8
Invalid/blank votes			7,994	–
Total			229,543	100
Registered voters/turnout			358,661	64
Source: Nohlen; Election Resources

By province

Province	Echandi %	Orlich %	Rossi %
Province
San José	49.0	39.6	11.5
Alajuela	43.0	50.7	6.3
Cartago	37.1	40.5	22.4
Heredia	45.6	44.9	9.5
Puntarenas	54.2	39.2	6.6
Limón	54.1	38.9	7.0
Guanacaste	44.8	46.7	8.5
Total	46.4	42.8	10.8

Popular Vote

Echandi			46.4%
Orlich			42.8%
Rossi			10.8%

By canton

San José
Canton	Echandi	Orlich	Rossi

	%	%	%
San José	57.37	32.29	10.35
Escazú	38.04	47.62	14.35
Desamparados	38.06	49.34	12.59
Puriscal	33.57	57.46	8.97
Tarrazú	34.92	50.68	14.40
Aserrí	43.09	46.96	9.95
Mora	40.72	54.81	4.47
Goicoechea	53.78	35.65	10.57
Santa Ana	41.76	50.39	7.85
Alajuelita	51.82	38.67	9.62
Vázquez de Coronado	39.62	50.06	10.32
Acosta	34.40	57.74	7.87
Tibás	53.93	34.55	11.52
Moravia	46.71	37.13	16.16
Montes de Oca	55.74	34.30	9.96
Turrubares	48.13	46.26	5.60
Dota	32.67	50.31	17.02
Curridabat	37.83	44.93	17.24
Pérez Zeledón	20.89	54.35	24.75
Total	48.99	39.55	11.46

Alajuela
Canton	Orlich	Echandi	Rossi

	%	%	%
Alajuela	43.04	49.88	7.08
San Ramón	62.13	32.81	5.06
Grecia	50.46	45.82	3.72
San Mateo	54.37	35.35	10.28
Atenas	41.91	48.20	9.88
Naranjo	57.71	36.35	5.94
Palmares	48.31	46.24	5.45
Poás	56.89	37.63	5.48
Orotina	41.78	54.22	4.00
San Carlos	55.65	35.95	8.40
Alfaro Ruiz	58.19	34.24	7.57
Valverde Vega	60.90	34.49	4.61
Total	50.75	42.96	6.29

Cartago
Canton	Orlich	Echandi	Rossi

	%	%	%
Cartago	42.15	35.07	22.77
Paraíso	42.05	40.88	17.06
La Unión	47.25	40.97	11.78
Jiménez	43.93	39.92	16.15
Turrialba	28.12	41.82	30.06
Alvarado	44.93	26.22	28.85
Oreamuno	49.12	25.64	25.24
El Guarco	58.08	30.58	11.35
Total	40.51	37.11	22.37

Heredia
Canton	Echandi	Orlich	Rossi

	%	%	%
Heredia	48.64	40.91	10.45
Barva	48.72	38.38	12.90
Santo Domingo	47.27	42.58	10.15
Santa Bárbara	39.48	53.79	6.73
San Rafael	39.84	52.00	8.15
San Isidro	32.74	62.14	5.12
Belén	43.91	50.19	5.90
Flores	47.11	41.93	10.96
Total	45.58	44.90	9.52

Guanacaste
Canton	Orlich	Echandi	Rossi

	%	%	%
Liberia	44.19	45.40	10.41
Nicoya	49.68	39.13	11.20
Santa Cruz	37.02	54.78	8.20
Bagaces	56.80	37.53	5.67
Carrillo	46.19	44.30	9.50
Cañas	44.49	45.68	9.84
Abangares	50.11	46.84	3.04
Tilarán	56.59	40.40	2.91
Total	46.70	44.82	8.48

Puntarenas
Canton	Echandi	Orlich	Rossi

	%	%	%
Puntarenas	50.97	40.46	8.58
Esparza	50.66	45.16	4.19
Buenos Aires	27.31	54.21	18.48
Montes de Oro	38.45	56.53	5.02
Osa	67.60	29.48	2.92
Aguirre	55.33	37.82	6.85
Golfito	64.44	31.59	3.97
Total	54.20	39.22	6.58

Limón
Canton	Echandi	Orlich	Rossi

	%	%	%
Limón	49.57	44.13	6.30
Pococí	65.23	28.62	6.14
Siquirres	55.52	33.21	11.27
Total	54.07	38.90	7.02

Parliament

Popular Vote

National Liberation			41.7%
National Republican			22.4%
National Union			21.4%
Independent			9.8%
Rev. Civic Union			3.3%
Dem. Opp. Movement			0.7%
Democratic			0.5%
Democratic Action			0.3%

Seats

National Liberation			44.5%
National Republican			24.4%
National Union			22.3%
Independent			6.6%
Rev. Civic Union			2.3%

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–

	National Liberation Party	86,081	41.7	20	–10
	Republican Party	46,171	22.4	11	+8
	National Union Party	44,125	21.4	10	+9
	Independent Party^es	20,314	9.8	3	New
	Revolutionary Civic Union	6,855	3.3	1	New
	Democratic Opposition Movement	1,417	0.7	0	New
	Democratic Party	939	0.5	0	–11
	Democratic Action Party	614	0.3	0	New
Invalid/blank votes		22,991	–	–	–
Total		229,543	100	45	0
Registered voters/turnout		358,661	64	–	–
Source: TSE; Election Resources

By province

Province	PLN		PR		PUN		PI		UCR		MOD		PD		DAP

	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S	%	S
San José	37.2	6	26.7	4	19.6	3	10.1	2	5.2	1	0.8	0	0.4	0	-	-
Alajuela	50.3	4	17.1	2	24.2	2	6.0	0	1.6	0	0.4	0	0.4	0	-	-
Cartago	40.2	3	13.9	1	17.3	1	20.1	1	4.8	0	0.7	0	0.5	0	2.5	0
Heredia	44.0	1	24.7	1	19.1	1	9.5	0	1.5	0	0.9	0	0.4	0	-	-
Puntarenas	39.2	2	26.9	2	24.9	1	6.5	0	1.2	0	0.7	0	0.7	0	-	-
Limón	40.7	1	25.5	0	26.3	1	5.4	0	1.1	0	0.7	0	0.4	0	-	-
Guanacaste	46.4	3	17.8	1	25.0	1	8.8	0	0.9	0	0.5	0	0.6	0	-	-
Total	41.7	20	22.4	11	21.4	10	9.8	3	3.3	1	0.7	0	0.5	0	0.3	0

Local governments

Alderpeople

National Liberation			49.21%
National Union			27.56%
National Republican			18.50%
Independent			4.72%

Municipal Syndics

National Liberation			82.19%
National Union			10.00%
National Republican			7.19%
Independent			0.63%

Parties		Popular vote			Alderpeople		Municipal Syndics
Parties		Votes	%	±pp	Total	+/-	Total	+/-
	National Liberation Party (PLN)	88,893	42.53	-22.05	125	-38	263	-47
	National Union Party (PUN)	50,400	24.11	+18.17	70	+65	32	+32
	Republican Party (PR)	43,715	20.91	+14.96	47	+42	23	+23
	Independent Party (PI)	21,419	10.25	New	12	New	2	New
	Revolutionary Civic Union (UCR)	3,834	1.83	New	0	New	0	New
	Cartago National Republican Party (PRN-CAR)	720	0.34	New	0	New	0	New
	Limonense Independent Party (PLI)	49	0.02	New	0	New	0	New

Total		209,030	100.00	-	254	+17	320	-4

Invalid votes		20,927	9.10
Votes cast / turnout		229,957	64.78
Abstentions		125,005	35.22
Registered voters		354,962	100%

Sources^[4]

Ballot

References

^ Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume I, p155 ISBN 978-0-19-928357-6
^ Nohlen, p156
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Hernández Naranjo, Gerardo. "Reseña de las elecciones presidenciales de 1958" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Elecciones Regidurías 1953". tse.go.cr (in Spanish). Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones. Retrieved 21 May 2020.

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

[2] Nohlen, p156

[Hernandez-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g Hernández Naranjo, Gerardo. "Reseña de las elecciones presidenciales de 1958" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)^{[permanent dead link]}

[4] "Elecciones Regidurías 1953". 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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Referendums	1870 2007
See also: Elections in the Federal Republic of Central America