IFES Election Guide | Country Profile: Costa Rica

Republic of Costa Rica

5,105,520
Population (as of Jan. 1, 2023)

3,544,919
Registered Voters (as of April 21, 2022)

63.43%
Average Turnout

19
Elections in our database

V-Dem* Score: 0.859
Regimes of the World Classification: Liberal Democracy
*Varieties of Democracy Electoral Democracy Index (2024)

CEDAW Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: July 17, 1980
Ratified Date: April 4, 1986

SIGI* Score: 10.9
Level of Discrimination: Very Low
*Social Institutions and Gender Index (2023)

CRPD Status: Signed and Ratified
Signed Date: March 30, 2007
Ratified Date: Oct. 1, 2008

HDI* Score: 0.833
Category: Very High
*UNDP Human Development Index (2023)

Name	Official Name	Type
Costa Rican Presidency	None	Head of State & Government
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	Asamblea Legislativa	Assembly

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Rodrigo CHAVES ROBLES (since 8 May 2022)
Head of Government: President Rodrigo CHAVES ROBLES (since 8 May 2022)
Assembly: unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) with 57 seats

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by qualified majority to serve a 4-year term. The electoral system is two-rounds with a 40 percent threshold.
In the Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) 57 members are elected through a closed-list proportional representation system to serve 4-year terms. There are seven constituencies corresponding to Costa Rica's provinces, and seats are apportioned to each in proportion to population. Seats are allocated at the constituency level. Once all lists' quotas have been filled, there are additional considerations for sub-quotas of votes (50 percent of a full quota), and then for remainders less than sub-quotas.

Elections

2022-04-03 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,940,799
Registered 3,544,919
Turnout 54.75

2022-02-06 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,818,725
Registered 3,541,908
Turnout 51.35

2022-02-06 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 2,117,913
Registered 3,492,073
Turnout 60.65

2018-04-01 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 2,207,556
Registered 3,322,329
Turnout 66.45

2018-02-04 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 2,137,556
Registered 3,322,329
Turnout 64.34

2018-02-04 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 2,182,764
Registered 3,322,329
Turnout 65.7

2014-04-06 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,712,679
Registered 3,024,159
Turnout 56.63

2014-02-02 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 1,734,047
Registered 3,065,667
Turnout 56.56

2014-02-02 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 2,099,219
Registered 3,078,321
Turnout 68.19

2010-02-07 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 1,782,878
Registered 2,822,491
Turnout 63.17

2010-02-07 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,883,094
Registered 2,822,491
Turnout 66.72

2007-10-07 | Status: Held
Referendum
Votes 1,572,684
Registered 2,550,613
Turnout 61.66

2006-02-05 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 1,662,899
Registered 2,548,577
Turnout 65.25

2006-02-05 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,663,248
Registered 2,550,613
Turnout 65.21

2002-04-07 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,389,702
Registered 2,279,851
Turnout 60.96

2002-02-03 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 1,569,338
Registered 2,279,851
Turnout 68.84

2002-02-03 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,568,867
Registered 2,279,851
Turnout 68.81

1998-02-01 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly
Votes 1,430,579
Registered 2,045,980
Turnout 69.92

1998-02-01 | Status: Held
Costa Rican Presidency
Votes 1,431,913
Registered 2,045,980
Turnout 69.99

Election For	Date	Status	Votes	Registered Voters	Turnout
Costa Rican Presidency	2022-04-03	Held	1,940,799	3,544,919	54.75
Costa Rican Presidency	2022-02-06	Held	1,818,725	3,541,908	51.35
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2022-02-06	Held	2,117,913	3,492,073	60.65
Costa Rican Presidency	2018-04-01	Held	2,207,556	3,322,329	66.45
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2018-02-04	Held	2,137,556	3,322,329	64.34
Costa Rican Presidency	2018-02-04	Held	2,182,764	3,322,329	65.7
Costa Rican Presidency	2014-04-06	Held	1,712,679	3,024,159	56.63
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2014-02-02	Held	1,734,047	3,065,667	56.56
Costa Rican Presidency	2014-02-02	Held	2,099,219	3,078,321	68.19
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2010-02-07	Held	1,782,878	2,822,491	63.17
Costa Rican Presidency	2010-02-07	Held	1,883,094	2,822,491	66.72
Referendum	2007-10-07	Held	1,572,684	2,550,613	61.66
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2006-02-05	Held	1,662,899	2,548,577	65.25
Costa Rican Presidency	2006-02-05	Held	1,663,248	2,550,613	65.21
Costa Rican Presidency	2002-04-07	Held	1,389,702	2,279,851	60.96
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	2002-02-03	Held	1,569,338	2,279,851	68.84
Costa Rican Presidency	2002-02-03	Held	1,568,867	2,279,851	68.81
Costa Rican Legislative Assembly	1998-02-01	Held	1,430,579	2,045,980	69.92
Costa Rican Presidency	1998-02-01	Held	1,431,913	2,045,980	69.99

Voter Turnout

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