This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SAN JOSE 000180 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV CS
SUBJECT: COSTA RICAN VOTING PROCEDURES FOR FEBRUARY 5 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Costa Rica has a long tradition of free and 
fair elections.  We expect no problems on February 5 when 
voters will choose a new president and national legislature. 
Perhaps the most interesting outcome, besides who wins, will 
be the level of voter turnout.  Historically very high in 
Costa Rica at about 80 percent, voter turnout dropped to 60 
percent in 2002, and many political observers expect it to 
drop further this year.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  On Sunday, February 5, Costa Ricans will elect a new 
president along with first and second vice presidents, the 
members of the Legislative Assembly (deputies), and the 
members of the country's 81 municipal councils, all for 
four-year terms.  What makes these elections particularly 
momentous is that nationally elected officials (presidents, 
vice presidents, and deputies) cannot serve consecutive 
terms.  Thus, there will be a complete turnover of government 
at the national level. 
 
¶3.  The president and vice presidents, who run together on a 
ticket, are directly elected by the people nationwide. 
Deputies, however, run on party lists at the provincial 
level.  (Provinces exist for electoral and bureaucratic 
purposes.  There are no provincial governments.) 
Representation in the 57-member unicameral Assembly is 
according to party vote in each of the seven provinces.  The 
province with the largest population, San Jose, gets 20 
deputies, and the smallest, Guanacaste, four deputies.  If a 
party in San Jose province gets half the vote, for example, 
the top ten people on its list will be elected. 
 
¶4.  Voters therefore have to make three choices:  president 
(along with vice presidents); party preference for the 
Legislative Assembly; and party preference for their 
municipal council.  Voters can split their vote, but they 
cannot hand-pick deputies or municipal council members. 
Party structures decide who is on the list and in what order. 
 For the Assembly, the presidential candidates usually have a 
big say about the names on their party lists. 
 
¶5.  The Constitution requires the winner for president to 
obtain at least 40 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff 
election with the second-place candidate.  Since the 
constitution was adopted in 1949, there has been only one 
runoff election--in 2002.  A runoff in 2006, if necessary 
(which is doubtful), would take place on April 2. 
 
¶6.  For more than 50 years Costa Rica has been a stable 
two-party democracy with voter turnout on the order of 80 
percent.  There has been a fairly regular alternation of 
power between the National Liberation Party (PLN) and the 
Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC).  In 2002, the Citizens' 
Action Party (PAC), which is to the left of the two centrist 
traditional parties, emerged as a significant third-party 
force in Costa Rica; at the same time, voter turnout dropped 
to an all-time low of about 60 percent.  This year a party of 
the right, the Libertarian Movement (ML), is expected to get 
up to 15 percent of the vote, beating out PUSC.  Voter 
turnout may drop even lower this year than it was in 2002. 
 
¶7.  The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) administers 
elections.  During an election period there are five TSE 
magistrates and four alternates.  They are appointed by the 
Supreme Court and serve six-year terms.  The TSE tracks and 
publishes political contributions.  Since 1948, when alleged 
election fraud led to a brief civil war, elections in Costa 
Rica have been free and fair.  Allegations of fraud at the 
ballot box are now rare.  More common are allegations of 
irregularities in the financing of political campaigns. 
 
¶8.  Most voting is by paper ballots, which are counted by 
hand.  Computer voting was introduced on a pilot basis during 
mayoral elections in December 2002.  There will be some 
computer voting in the February 2006 elections as well, but 
still on a trial basis.  Voters must go to the polls; there 
is no absentee voting.  The voting age is 18. 
 
¶9.  Election days in Costa Rica are festive occasions. 
Although party representatives may not interfere with voters 
or instruct them how to vote, they may set up "informational 
tables" directly in front of the polling places.  The tables 
are decorated with party colors and pictures of presidential 
candidates (which also appear on the ballot), and 
representatives wear party T-shirts and buttons.  The 
competition is good-natured. 
 
¶10.  A cherished Costa Rican tradition, and example of civic 
education, is children's voting on election day.  Children 
can vote on a children's ballots, with the same candidates 
that are on their parents' ballots, at "polling places" in 
schools, other public building, hotels, and, most notably, 
the Children's Museum in the capital. 
 
¶11.  The TSE provides credentials for both national and 
international election observers.  Embassy will have 18 
observers, including the Ambassador, to visit polling places 
on February 5. 
LANGDALE