# 2009 Panamanian general election

General elections were held in Panama on May 3, 2009.

## Presidential race

Balbina Herrera was the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) candidate for President of Panama. She had previously served as President of the National Assembly during the Mireya Moscoso presidency, and Housing Minister under outgoing president Martin Torrijos. Herrera won her party's primary on September 7, 2008, defeating Panama City Mayor Juan Carlos Navarro with a ten-point lead. The Liberal Party and the People's Party were in alliance with the PRD in support of Herrera. Herrera was also endorsed by Ruben Blades, a popular salsa musician who had previously run for president and served as Torrijos' Minister of Tourism, and was initially considered the favorite for the presidency. If elected, she would have become Panama's second female president.
Ricardo Martinelli was the candidate of the opposition Democratic Change, also supported by the Patriotic Union Party, the Panameñista Party and the Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement. Martinelli was a successful businessman, and was the chairman of the board of Panama's Super 99 supermarket chain. During the presidency of Ernesto Pérez Balladares, Martinelli had served as Director of Social Security from 1994 to 1996. From September 1999 to January 2003, he had served in the Moscoso Administration as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Panama Canal and as the Minister for Canal Affairs.
Guillermo Endara, former Panamanian president from 1989 to 1994, ran as the candidate for the Fatherland's Moral Vanguard Party.
Though initially the favorite, Herrera was damaged in the election by her links to former military ruler Manuel Noriega and by the perception that she was a "Chavista", a supporter of leftist Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez. Martinelli was also helped by strong support from the business community and his campaign promise of "real change" resonated among poor voters.
On May 3, 2009, Martinelli won the national elections by a landslide, with over 60% of the votes compared to Herrera, who received about 36%. Former president Guillermo Endara finished a distant third. Martinelli was declared the winner after 43.68% of the votes had been counted. This was the second-largest majority in Panamanian history, and the largest since 1989. It was also the first time since 1989 that the winning candidate was not a member of the PRD or Panameñista Party. Martinelli's victory was an exception to a trend of victories for left-leaning Latin American candidates. He was sworn in on July 1, 2009.

## Results
### President

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Ricardo Martinelli | Alliance for Change | | Democratic Change | 509,986 | 32.15 |
| | Ricardo Martinelli | Alliance for Change | | Panameñista Party | 293,554 | 18.50 |
| | Ricardo Martinelli | Alliance for Change | | Patriotic Union | 53,952 | 3.40 |
| | Ricardo Martinelli | Alliance for Change | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 94,841 | 5.98 |
| | Ricardo Martinelli | Alliance for Change | Total | Total | 952,333 | 60.03 |
| | Balbina Herrera | One Country for All | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 553,974 | 34.92 |
| | Balbina Herrera | One Country for All | | People's Party | 35,459 | 2.24 |
| | Balbina Herrera | One Country for All | | Liberal Party | 7,794 | 0.49 |
| | Balbina Herrera | One Country for All | Total | Total | 597,227 | 37.65 |
| | Guillermo Endara | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | 36,867 | 2.32 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 1,586,427 | 100.00 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,586,427 | 96.94 |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 50,081 | 3.06 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,636,508 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 2,211,261 | 74.01 |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral |||||||

### Legislative Assembly

Seats :
| | Alliance for Change | | Democratic Change | 352,319 | 23.42 | 14 |
| | Alliance for Change | | Panameñista Party | 334,282 | 22.22 | 22 |
| | Alliance for Change | | Patriotic Union | 85,609 | 5.69 | 4 |
| | Alliance for Change | | Nationalist Republican Liberal Movement | 70,457 | 4.68 | 2 |
| | Alliance for Change | Total | Total | 842,667 | 56.02 | 42 |
| | One Country for All | | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 537,426 | 35.72 | 26 |
| | One Country for All | | People's Party | 55,598 | 3.70 | 1 |
| | One Country for All | | Liberal Party | 18,111 | 1.20 | 0 |
| | One Country for All | Total | Total | 611,135 | 40.62 | 27 |
| | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | Moral Vanguard of the Fatherland | 14,760 | 0.98 | 0 |
| | Independents | Independents | Independents | 35,793 | 2.38 | 2 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 1,504,355 | 100.00 | 71 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | Valid votes | 1,504,355 | 93.79 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 99,582 | 6.21 | |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,603,937 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 2,211,261 | 72.53 | |
| Source: Tribunal Electoral |||||||