# 2002 Costa Rican municipal elections

Municipal and local elections were held for the first time in Costa Rica on 1 December 2002. This was the first time citizens of the 81 cantons were able to directly choose their mayors as previously the municipal executive was appointed by the city council. A syndic and 4 District Councilors were also elected for each canton’s district as 8 intendants for especial districts with administrative autonomy.
Then ruling Social Christian Unity Party had its best results in history on a local election gaining most of the mayors and councilors; 48 mayors and 785 syndics and councilors. National Liberation Party, then main opposition force, earn the second largest number of both with 27 mayors and 676. Costa Rica was still pretty much under a two-party system at the time even when in the recent general election the new force Citizens Action Party surprised with high voting for president and parliament, in this first municipal running achieve only one mayor in Montes de Oca (the party’s hometown).

## Results
### Mayors

List of elected mayors by canton :
| Cantons | Population | Elected mayor | Party |
| San José | 309,672 | Johnny Araya | PLN |
| Escazú | 52,372 | Marco Antonio Segura | PLN |
| Desamparados | 193,478 | Carlos Alberto Padilla | PLN |
| Puriscal | 29,407 | Carlos Araya | PUSC |
| Tarrazú | 14,160 | José Rodolfo Naranjo | PUSC |
| Aserrí | 57,892 | Mario Morales | PLN |
| Mora | 21,666 | Alcides Ovidio Araya | PLN |
| Goicoechea | 117,532 | Carlos Luis Murillo | PUSC |
| Santa Ana | 48,879 | Rónald Octavio Traña | PUSC |
| Alajuelita | 70,297 | Víctor Hugo Echavarría | PUSC |
| Vázquez de Coronado | 55,585 | Rolando Méndez | PUSC |
| Acosta | 18,661 | Rónald Ricardo Durán | PLN |
| Tibás | 72,074 | Percy Kenneth Rodríguez | PUSC |
| Moravia | 50,419 | Alejandro Hidalgo | PLN |
| Montes de Oca | 50,433 | Sonia María Montero | PAC |
| Turrubares | 4,877 | Roberto González | PUSC |
| Dota | 6,519 | Mario Enrique Umaña | PLN |
| Curridabat | 60,889 | Luz de los Ángeles Retana | CSXXI |
| Pérez Zeledón | 122,187 | Rosibel Ramos | PUSC |
| León Cortés | 11,696 | Sergio Picado | PUSC |
| Alajuela | 222,853 | Fabio Molina | PLN |
| San Ramón | 67,975 | Osvaldo Vargas | PUSC |
| Grecia | 65,119 | Freddy Barrantes | PUSC |
| San Mateo | 5,343 | Erwen Yanán Masís | PUSC |
| Atenas | 22,479 | Wilberth Martín Aguilar | PUSC |
| Naranjo | 37,602 | Mario Bolívar Solís | PLN |
| Palmares | 29,766 | Mario Alberto Rojas | PUSC |
| Poás | 24,764 | Carlos Eduardo Soto | PLN |
| Orotina | 15,705 | José Joaquín Peraza | PUSC |
| San Carlos | 127,140 | Alfredo Córdoba | PLN |
| Alfaro Ruiz | 10,845 | Manuel Enrique Durán | PUSC |
| Valverde Vega | 16,239 | Víctor Manuel Rojas | PUSC |
| Upala | 37,679 | Juan Bosco Acevedo | PLN |
| Los Chiles | 19,732 | Santiago Millón | PLN |
| Guatuso | 13,045 | Carlos Luis Corrales | PUSC |
| Cartago | 132,057 | Harold Humberto Góngora | PUSC |
| Paraíso | 52,393 | Marvin Solano | PAPAR |
| La Unión | 80,279 | Guillermo Arturo Zúñiga | PIO |
| Jiménez | 14,046 | Jorge Humberto Solano | PLN |
| Turrialba | 68,510 | Marvin Gerardo Orocú | PUSC |
| Alvarado | 12,290 | Ángel Raquel López | PLN |
| Oreamuno | 39,032 | Gerardo Walter Granados | PUSC |
| El Guarco | 33,788 | Luis Rafael Flores | PUSC |
| Heredia | 103,894 | Javier Carvajal | PUSC |
| Barva | 32,440 | Omar Enrique Trigueros | PUSC |
| Santo Domingo | 34,748 | Erika Lizette Linares | PLN |
| Santa Bárbara | 29,181 | Luis Paulino Rodríguez | PUSC |
| San Rafael | 37,293 | Jorge Isaac Herrera | PLN |
| San Isidro | 16,056 | Elvia Dicciana Villalobos | PLN |
| Belén | 19,834 | Víctor Manuel Víquez | PLN |
| Flores | 15,038 | Marvin Murillo | PUSC |
| San Pablo | 20,813 | Aracelly Salas | PUSC |
| Sarapiquí | 57,147 | Pedro Rojas | PLN |
| Liberia | 46,703 | Ricardo Adolfo Samper | PLN |
| Nicoya | 42,189 | Bernardo Vargas | PLN |
| Santa Cruz | 40,821 | Pastor Gómez | PUSC |
| Bagaces | 15,972 | Guillermo Aragón | PUSC |
| Carrillo | 27,306 | José María Guevara | PUSC |
| Cañas | 24,076 | Gilberto Jerez | PLN |
| Abangares | 16,276 | Víctor Julio Cabezas | PUSC |
| Tilarán | 17,871 | Jovel Arias | PUSC |
| Nandayure | 9,985 | Luis Gerardo Rodríguez | PGI |
| La Cruz | 16,505 | Junnier Alberto Salazar | PUSC |
| Hojancha | 6,534 | Juan Rafael Marín | PLN |
| Puntarenas | 102,504 | Omar Obando | PUSC |
| Esparza | 23,963 | Dagoberto Venegas | PUSC |
| Buenos Aires | 40,139 | Giovanni Fallas | PUSC |
| Montes de Oro | 11,159 | Álvaro Jiménez | PLN |
| Osa | 25,861 | José Gabriel Villachica | PUSC |
| Aguirre | 20,188 | Alex Max Contreras | PUSC |
| Golfito | 33,823 | Mauricio Alvarado | PUSC |
| Coto Brus | 40,082 | Gerardo Wilson Chaves | PUSC |
| Parrita | 12,112 | Ramón Fernando Godínez | PUSC |
| Corredores | 37,274 | Augusto César Moya | PUSC |
| Garabito | 10,378 | Luis Fernando Villalobos | PUSC |
| Limón | 89,933 | Róger Mainor Rivera | PUSC |
| Pococí | 103,121 | Manuel Hernández | PUSC |
| Siquirres | 52,409 | Miguel Gerardo Quirós | PUSC |
| Talamanca | 25,857 | Rugeli Morales | PUSC |
| Matina | 33,096 | Rodrigo Gómez | PRC |
| Guácimo | 34,879 | Gerardo Fuentes | PLN |
Vote percentage
| Party | Party | Mayors | Popular vote | Popular vote |
| Party | Party | Number | Votes | % |
| | Social Christian Unity Party | 47 | 188,612 | 36,72 |
| | National Liberation Party | 28 | 168,410 | 32,78 |
| | Citizens' Action Party | 1 | 65,968 | 12.84 |
| | Total cantonal parties | 2 | 30,273 | 5.77 |
| | Libertarian Movement | 0 | 20,655 | 4.02 |
| | Costa Rican Renewal Party | 1 | 15,497 | 3.02 |
| | Democratic Force | 0 | 6,606 | 1.29 |
| | Independent Workers' Party | 1 | 4,904 | 0.95 |
| | Coalition Change 2000 | 0 | 4,272 | 0.83 |
| | National Rescue Party | 0 | 3,488 | 0.68 |
| | National Integration Party | 0 | 3,119 | 0.61 |
| | Independent Guanacaste Party | 1 | 1,259 | 0.25 |
| | Agrarian Labour Action Party | 0 | 569 | 0.11 |
| | Cartago Agrarian Union Party | 0 | 532 | 0.10 |
| | General Union Party | 0 | 96 | 0.02 |
| Total | Total | 81 | 514,260 | 100% |
| Source |||||
By province
| Province | PUSC % | PLN % | PAC % | Reg. % | ML % | PRC % | FD % | PIO % | C2000 % | PRESNA % | PIN % |
| San José Province | 29.90 | 35.12 | 13.57 | 12.50 | 3.66 | 1.05 | 1.36 | 1.46 | 0.82 | 0.25 | 0.31 |
| Alajuela | 39.04 | 38.79 | 11.46 | 1.26 | 2.77 | 1.30 | - | - | 1.03 | 2.74 | 1.61 |
| Cartago Province | 37.35 | 31.03 | 14.43 | 7.75 | 1.52 | - | 3.06 | 4.58 | - | - | 0.28 |
| Heredia | 34.33 | 34.07 | 17.65 | 3.69 | 3.74 | 4.08 | - | 0.35 | 0.36 | - | 1.73 |
| Guanacaste | 42.84 | 29.13 | 11.97 | 3.41 | 3.00 | 7.06 | 2.07 | - | 0.36 | 0.16 | - |
| Puntarenas | 46.07 | 24.96 | 11.94 | 3.43 | 8.63 | 2.75 | 1.44 | - | 0.78 | - | - |
| Limón | 36.11 | 24.68 | 9.19 | 4.72 | 7.40 | 13.06 | 2.12 | - | 2.72 | - | - |
| Total | 36.72 | 32.78 | 12.84 | 6.26 | 4.02 | 3.02 | 1.29 | 0.95 | 0.83 | 0.68 | 0.61 |
| Source: TSE ||||||||||||

### Alderpeople

The elections of municipal councilors of Costa Rica in 2002 were an electoral process held in parallel with the presidential and legislative elections. In them the 495 tenure aldermen and the 495 alternates that conform the 81 Municipal Councils were chosen.
The Central Canton of San José, the most populous, named 13 aldermen. Desamparados and Alajuela named 11. Others less populated (Puntarenas, Limón, Pococí, Heredia, Cartago, La Unión, San Carlos, Goicoechea, Pérez Zeledón, etc.) named 9. Others even smaller (Tibás, Grecia, Vázquez de Coronado, Montes de Oca, Siquirres, Escazú, Turrialba, etc.) appointed 7 council members. Finally, the smallest (Turrubares, San Mateo, Santa Ana, Mora, Montes de Oro, Talamanca, etc.) named 5.
| Parties | Parties | Popular vote | Popular vote | Popular vote | Alderpeople | Alderpeople |
| Parties | Parties | Votes | % | ±pp | Total | +/- |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | 469,305 | 30.92 | -9.94 | 180 | -91 |
| | National Liberation Party (PLN) | 443,320 | 29.21 | -6.17 | 178 | -48 |
| | Citizens' Action Party (PAC) | 310,201 | 20.44 | New | 101 | New |
| | Libertarian Movement (ML) | 84,167 | 5.55 | +3.12 | 13 | +9 |
| | Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) | 54,547 | 3.59 | +1.73 | 7 | +7 |
| | Democratic Force (FD) | 40,114 | 2.64 | -3.53 | 4 | -20 |
| | National Integration Party (PIN) | 25,038 | 1.65 | -0.08 | 1 | -2 |
| | Coalition Change 2000 (C2000) | 17,612 | 1.16 | New | 1 | New |
| | Agrarian Labour Action Party (PALA) | 9,225 | 0.61 | -0.49 | 2 | -5 |
| | Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) | 7,765 | 0.51 | -0.19 | 3 | -1 |
| | National Rescue Party (PRESNA) | 7,510 | 0.49 | -0.33 | 1 | New |
| | Independent Workers' Party (PIO) | 7,460 | 0.49 | New | 1 | New |
| | National Agrarian Party (PAN) | 5,032 | 0.33 | -0.24 | 1 | -4 |
| | Party of the Sun (PdS) | 4,880 | 0.32 | +0.06 | 2 | 0 |
| | Cartago Agrarian Force (FAC) | 4,024 | 0.27 | +0.09 | 0 | New |
| | 21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) | 3,726 | 0.25 | -0.12 | 1 | -1 |
| | Authentic Paraisian Party (PAPAR) | 3,264 | 0.22 | New | 1 | New |
| | National Convergence Party (PCN) | 2,927 | 0.19 | -0.10 | 0 | -1 |
| | General Union Party (PUG) | 2,495 | 0.16 | -0.83 | 0 | -3 |
| | Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) | 1,956 | 0.13 | New | 2 | New |
| | Authentic Sarapiquenean Party (PASAR) | 1,779 | 0.12 | New | 1 | New |
| | New Alajuelita Party (PALNU) | 1,773 | 0.12 | +0.02 | 1 | 0 |
| | Humanist Party of Montes de Oca (PH-MdO) | 1,212 | 0.08 | -0.06 | 0 | -1 |
| | Alliance for San José Party (PASJ) | 1,127 | 0.07 | New | 0 | New |
| | Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) | 1,079 | 0.07 | New | 0 | New |
| | Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) | 983 | 0.06 | New | 2 | New |
| | Humanist Party of San José (PH-SJO) | 919 | 0.06 | New | 0 | New |
| | Golfitenean Action Party (PAGOL) | 772 | 0.05 | -0.00 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent Guanacaste Party (PGI) | 759 | 0.05 | -0.14 | 0 | -2 |
| | Independent Belemite Party (PIB) | 618 | 0.04 | -0.06 | 0 | -1 |
| | Limonense Conscience Party (PCL) | 617 | 0.04 | New | 0 | New |
| | Humanist Party of Heredia (PH-Her) | 517 | 0.03 | -0.05 | 0 | 0 |
| | National Patriotic Party (PPN) | 485 | 0.03 | New | 0 | New |
| | New Corredores Party (PUG) | 457 | 0.03 | New | 0 | New |
| | Humanist Party of Barva (PH-Barva) | 183 | 0.01 | New | 0 | New |
| Total | Total | 1,517,848 | 100.00 | - | 503 | -75 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 51,628 | 3.29 | | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 1,569,476 | 68.84 | | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 710,375 | 31.16 | | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 2,279,851 | 100% | | | |
| Sources |||||||

### Syndics and district councils

Syndics :
| PUSC | PUSC | 49.24% | 49.24% |
| PLN | PLN | 41.47% | 41.47% |
| PAC | PAC | 3.02% | 3.02% |
| Regionalist | Regionalist | 3.02% | 3.02% |
| ML | ML | 0.86% | 0.86% |
| PRC | PRC | 0.86% | 0.86% |
| PIO | PIO | 0.86% | 0.86% |
| C2000 | C2000 | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| PIN | PIN | 0.22% | 0.22% |
| PRESNA | PRESNA | 0.22% | 0.22% |
District councillors :
| PUSC | PUSC | 43.10% | 43.10% |
| PLN | PLN | 36.89% | 36.89% |
| PAC | PAC | 9.82% | 9.82% |
| Regionalist | Regionalist | 3.67% | 3.67% |
| PRC | PRC | 2.59% | 2.59% |
| ML | ML | 1.40% | 1.40% |
| PIO | PIO | 0.81% | 0.81% |
| PRESNA | PRESNA | 0.59% | 0.59% |
| C2000 | C2000 | 0.38% | 0.38% |
| PIN | PIN | 0.32% | 0.32% |
| Parties and coalitions | Parties and coalitions | Popular vote | Popular vote | Syndics | Syndics | District Councillors |
| Parties and coalitions | Parties and coalitions | Votes | % | Total | +/- | Total |
| | Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) | 184,902 | 36.85 | 228 | -67 | 799 |
| | National Liberation Party (PLN) | 169,660 | 33.81 | 192 | +47 | 684 |
| | Citizens' Action Party (PAC) | 63,270 | 12.61 | 14 | New | 182 |
| | Libertarian Movement (ML) | 16,367 | 3.26 | 4 | +4 | 26 |
| | Costa Rican Renewal Party (PRC) | 15,665 | 3.21 | 4 | +4 | 48 |
| | Democratic Force (FD) | 6,539 | 1.30 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| | Coalition Change 2000 (C2000) | 4,797 | 0.96 | 1 | New | 7 |
| | Independent Workers' Party (PIO) | 4,444 | 0.89 | 4 | New | 15 |
| | Alliance to Advance Party (PAPA) | 4,421 | 0.88 | 0 | New | 5 |
| | Alliance for San José Party (PASJ) | 4,037 | 0.80 | 0 | New | 3 |
| | Authentic Paraisian Party (PAPAR) | 3,586 | 0.71 | 2 | New | 6 |
| | National Integration Party (PIN) | 3,189 | 0.64 | 1 | +1 | 6 |
| | Escazu's Progressive Yoke (YPE) | 2,670 | 0.53 | 1 | -2 | 4 |
| | National Rescue Party (PRESNA) | 2,354 | 0.47 | 1 | +1 | 11 |
| | Party of the Sun (PdS) | 1,844 | 0.37 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| | Cantonal Action Independent Siquirres Party (PACSI) | 1,652 | 0.33 | 2 | New | 7 |
| | We Are All San José Party (SJST) | 1,651 | 0.33 | 0 | New | 1 |
| | 21st Century Curridabat (CSXXI) | 1,412 | 0.28 | 2 | +1 | 4 |
| | Independent Guanacaste Party (PGI) | 1,181 | 0.24 | 2 | +2 | 9 |
| | Authentic Sarapiquenean Party (PASAR) | 978 | 0.19 | 2 | New | 9 |
| | Quepeña Action Party (PAQ) | 941 | 0.19 | 0 | New | 3 |
| | Change Now (CYA) | 833 | 0.17 | 0 | New | 0 |
| | Ecological Garabito Party (PEG) | 819 | 0.16 | 1 | New | 3 |
| | Authentic Cantonal Option Movement (MOCA) | 692 | 0.14 | 0 | New | 0 |
| | Curridabat Movement (MCur) | 642 | 0.13 | 0 | New | 1 |
| | Agrarian Labour Action Party (PALA) | 544 | 0.11 | 0 | -2 | 3 |
| | Independent Belemite Party (PIB) | 532 | 0.11 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | Cartago Agrarian Union Party (PUAC) | 503 | 0.10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Santacrucean Rebirth Party (PRS) | 490 | 0.10 | 0 | New | 0 |
| | Humanist Party of Montes de Oca (PH-MdO) | 394 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| | New Corredores Party (PUG) | 288 | 0.06 | 0 | New | 1 |
| | Limonense Conscience Party (PCL) | 256 | 0.05 | 0 | New | 0 |
| | Humanist Party of Heredia (PH-Her) | 125 | 0.02 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | General Union Party (PUGEN) | 62 | 0.01 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 500,080 | 100.00 | 463 | +16 | 1854 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 20,803 | 3.98 | | | |
| Votes cast / turnout | Votes cast / turnout | 520,883 | 22.64 | | | |
| Abstentions | Abstentions | 1,785,510 | 77.36 | | | |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | 2,306,393 | | | | |
| Sources |||||||