1996 Nicaraguan general election

Nicaraguan presidential election, 1996

October 20, 1996 (1996-10-20)

Candidate Arnoldo Alemán Daniel Ortega Party PLC FSLN Popular vote 896.207 664.909 Percentage 50.99% 37.83%

President before election Violeta Chamorro National Opposition Union President-elect Enrique Bolaños PLC

A general election was held in Nicaragua to elect a president and parliament on October 20, 1996.

Presidential election results

Candidate	Party/Alliance	Votes	%
Arnoldo Alemán	Liberal Alliance (AL) = Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) / Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN) / Nationalist Liberal Party (PLN) / Neoliberal Party (PALI)	896,207	50.99%
Daniel Ortega	Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)	664,909	37.83%
Guillermo Antonio Osorno Molina	Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path (PCCN)	71,908	04.09%
Noel José Vidaurre Argüello	Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCN)	39,983	02.27%
Benjamin Ramón Lanzas Selva	National Project (PRONAL)	9,265	00.53%
Sergio Ramírez Mercado	Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS)	7,665	00.44%
Francisco José Mayorga Balladares	Bread and Strength Alliance (Pan y Fuerza) = National Action Party (PAN) / Republican Strength 96 Alliance (ASR)	7,102	00.40%
Francisco José Duarte Tapia	National Conservative Action (ACN)	6,178	00.35%
Edgar Enrique Quiñónes Tuckler	Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN)	5,813	00.33%
Andrés Abelino Robles Pérez	Nicaraguan Workers, Peasants and Professionals Unity Party (PUNOCP)	5,789	00.33%
Virgilio Godoy Reyes	Independent Liberal Party (PLI)	5,692	00.32%
Jorge Alberto Díaz Cruz	National Justice Party (PJN)	5,582	00.32%
Alejandro Serrano Caldera	Unity Alliance (AU) = Social Christian Party (PCS) / Revolutionary Unity Movement (MUR) / Social Democratic Party (PSD)	4,873	00.28%
Elí Altamirano Pérez	Communist Party of Nicaragua (PC de N)	4,802	00.27%
Miriam Auxiliadora Argüello Morales	Popular Conservative Alliance (APC)	4,632	00.26%
Ausberto Narváez Argüello	Liberal Unity Party (PUL)	3,887	00.22%
Alfredo César Aguirre	National Opposition Union 96(UNO 96) = National Democratic Party (PND) / Conservative Action Movement (MAC) / Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN)	3,664	00.21%
Allan Antonio Tefel Alba	National Renovation Movement (MORENA)	2,641	00.15%
James Odnith Webster Pitts	Democratic Action Party (PAD)	1,895	00.11%
Sergio Abilio Mendieta Castillo	Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC)	1,653	00.09%
Issa Moises Hassán Morales	Renovating Action Movement (MAR)	1,393	00.08%
Gustavo Ernesto Tablada Zelaya	Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN)	1,352	00.08%
Roberto Urcuyo Muñoz	Nicaraguan Democratic Party (PADENIC)	890	00.05%
Total valid votes		1,757,775	100%
Spoilt and invalid votes		91,587	04.95%
Total votes/Turnout		1,849,362	76.39%
Registered voters		2,421,067	–
Population		4,706,000	–

Legislative election

Parties and alliances	Votes / National	%	Seats	Votes / Departmental	%	Seats	Total seats*
Liberal Alliance (AL) = Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) / Independent Liberal Party for National Unity (PLIUN) / Nationalist Liberal Party (PLN) / Neoliberal Party (PALI)	789,533	45.97%	09	781,068	45.25%	33	42
Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN)	626,178	36.46%	08	629,939	36.50%	27	36**
Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path (PCCN)	63,867	03.72%	01	63,986	03.71%	02	04***
National Project (PRONAL)	40,656	02.37%	01	36,417	02.11%	01	02
Conservative Party of Nicaragua (PCN)	36,543	02.13%	01	39,153	02.27%	01	03****
Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS)	22,789	01.33%	00	23,554	01.36%	01	01
Nicaraguan Resistance Party (PRN)	21,068	01.23%	00	27,970	01.62%	01	01
Unity Alliance (AU) = Social Christian Party (PCS) / Revolutionary Unity Movement (MUR) / Social Democratic Party (PSD)	14,001	00.82%	00	13,848	00.80%	01	01
Independent Liberal Party (PLI)	12,459	00.73%	00	13,697	00.79%	01	01
National Opposition Union 96 (UNO 96) = National Democratic Party (PND) / Conservative Action Movement (MAC) / Nicaraguan Democratic Movement (MDN)	10,706	00.62%	00	12,720	00.74%	01	01
National Conservative Action (ACN)	9,811	00.57%	00	13,011	00.75%	00	00
National Action Party (PAN)	9,724	00.57%	00	12,016	00.70%	00	00
National Justice Party (PJN)	8,155	00.47%	00	8,527	00.49%	00	00
Liberal Unity Party (PUL)	7,531	00.44%	00	9,893	00.57%	00	00
Popular Conservative Alliance (APC)	6,726	00.39%	00	6,335	00.37%	01	01
Communist Party of Nicaragua (PC de N)	6,360	00.37%	00	6,970	00.40%	00	00
Nicaraguan Workers, Peasants and Professionals Unity Party (PUNOCP)	5,641	00.33%	00	5,067	00.29%	00	00
Democratic Action Party (PAD)	5,272	00.31%	00	6,254	00.36%	00	00
National Renovation Movement (MORENA)	4,988	00.29%	00	3,788	00.22%	00	00
Nicaraguan Socialist Party (PSN)	2,980	00.17%	00	3,228	00.19%	00	00
Central American Integrationist Party (PIAC)	2,834	00.17%	00	2,406	00.14%	00	00
Marxist-Leninist Popular Action Movement (MAP ML)	2,446	00.14%	00	520	00.03%	00	00
Renovating Action Movement (MAR)	2,418	00.14%	00	2,992	00.17%	00	00
Nicaraguan Democratic Alliance (ADN)	1,730	00.10%	00	2,060	00.12%	00	00
Social Democratic Party (PSD)	–	–	–	724	00.04%	00	00
Total valid votes	1,717,416	100%	20	1,726,143	100%	70	93*
Spoilt and invalid votes	113,391	06.19%	–	113,169	06.15%	–	–
Total votes/Turnout	1,830,807	75.62%	–	1,839,312	75.97%	–	–
Registered voters	2,421,067	–	–	2,421,067	–	–	–
Population	4,706,000	–	–	4,706,000	–	–	–

• Including three seats for unsuccessful presidential candidates.
  • Including José Daniel Ortega Saavedra.
    • Including Guillermo Antonio Osorno Molina.
      • Including Noel José Vidaurre Argüello.

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