Restrictto Candidacy:
qualified elector, age: 21, Costa Rican citizenship by birth or residence in the country for at least 10 years after naturalization, full possession of civil rights. Incompatibility: President of the Republic (or his/her close relatives), government ministers, certain high judges, members of the armed forces on active duty, senior officials of provincial governments or autonomous institutions & public contractors.
Debate Average:
1
Debate Format:
At least one.
Opinion Polls Embargo:
Embargo for longer
Electoral System & Organisation
Elect System Main Election:
Majority
Main Election Type:
Presidential
Main Election Cycle:
4
Numb Round Main Election:
Two
Referenda_Law:
Constitution: “Constitución Política de la República de Costa Rica”, art. 102 (9): (*); Referendum Law: Ley de regulación del referéndum, art. 4: (*) Regulations for the referendum: Reglamento para los procesos del referéndum, art. 18
Referenda_Binding:
Sometimes Binding
Voting Machine:
None
Vote IDRequired:
ID check compulsory
Polling Card:
No polling card
National Holiday Elect Day:
Never
Dayof Election:
Sunday
Districting Flexibility:
The administrative territorial division is used. Each of the seven provinces constitutes an electoral district. However, the Supreme Tribunal of Elections (TSE) is empowered to divide an administrative district in two or three parts for election purposes.
Polling Station
Average Voterby Polling Station:
590
Normal Opening Time Poll Station:
600
Normal Closing Time Poll Station:
18:00
Polling Station Numbers:
5630
Listof Polling Station Buildings:
public building
Accessibility Requirement:
Party to UNCRPF
Ballot Box Transparency:
Fully opaque
Box Feeding System:
Voter
Vote Receipt:
No receipt
Tellersor Party Employees:
At the time the polls opened, the OAS observers reported that a considerable number of polling places had to be staffed by elections assistants, since the representatives of political parties who were supposed to serve as polling officials did not arrive. This is a challenge that the OAS electoral observation missions have been observing in Costa Rica. It is suggested that for future elections, a member of the TSE be added to the membership of the polling place.
Count Locallyor Centrally:
locally
Manualor Automatic Count:
manual
Ballot Paper
Ballot Type:
Paper
Ballot Paper Type Photo Upload:
YES
Ballot Photos:
Freely Allowed
Ballot Logos:
Freely Allowed
Orderof Candidatesor Parties:
random
Remote Voting
Temporal Remote Voting:
No
Geographical Remote Voting:
No
Personal Remote Voting:
No
Mobile Polling Stations:
No
Special Needs
Provision Illiterate Voters:
Once the identity of the voter has been verified, they shall sign beside their names, except if they are illiterate or otherwise incapable of doing so, in which case this shall be noted.
Provision Linguistic Ethnic Minorites:
Bilingual Website
Provision Blind Voters:
Thick Pen for Marking; Tactile Ballot. Electoral Code (2009) Article 181 states: …[People with visual impairment] will be able to vote in secret if they prefer to do so, by the system of a ballot guide, for which the TSE will take corresponding provisions. … In the case of not being able to vote by themselves: (a) They will be able to be accompanied to the precincts by a person of trust who will cast a vote for them. (b) They will be able to do so publicly when they explicitly request the assistance of the polling board; in such a case, the head of the polling station will vote according to the instructions of the voter.
Provision Deaf Voters:
Electoral Code (2009) Article 181 states: …[People with visual impairment] will be able to vote in secret if they prefer to do so, by the system of a ballot guide, for which the TSE will take corresponding provisions. … In the case of not being able to vote by themselves: (a) They will be able to be accompanied to the precincts by a person of trust who will cast a vote for them. (b) They will be able to do so publicly when they explicitly request the assistance of the polling board; in such a case, the head of the polling station will vote according to the instructions of the voter.
Provision Motor Handicap Voters:
Electoral Code (2009) Article 181 states: …[People with visual impairment] will be able to vote in secret if they prefer to do so, by the system of a ballot guide, for which the TSE will take corresponding provisions. … In the case of not being able to vote by themselves: (a) They will be able to be accompanied to the precincts by a person of trust who will cast a vote for them. (b) They will be able to do so publicly when they explicitly request the assistance of the polling board; in such a case, the head of the polling station will vote according to the instructions of the voter.
Over Representation Vuln Group:
Reserved Communal Seats - 1 Black