Organization of American States (OAS)
OAS Observation Mission: Elections Show Strength of Democratic System in Costa Rica
By OAS
Feb 8, 2016 - 8:02:39 PM


The Electoral Observation Mission of the Organization of American States (OAS/EOM) in Costa Rica today congratulated the country’s citizens on their participation in the municipal elections on Sunday, which once again showed the strength of Costa Rica’s democratic system.

The EOM, headed by the former Uruguayan Deputy Minister Edgardo Ortuño, presented a preliminary report with observations and recommendations on the process. "The OAS congratulates Costa Rica for the prompt and reliable transmission of preliminary results within the context of a new electoral process, where all the local authorities in the country were elected on the same day for the first time, during the mid-term of the presiding government."

The Mission highlighted the recognition by all actors in the electoral process of the work of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. Moreover, the Mission expressed its appreciation for the openness and spirit of cooperation with which the OAS Mission was received both by the electoral authorities and the other actors in the process.

The Mission deployed 21 experts and observers in the seven provinces of the country, visiting 152 polling centers on election day. The observers verified that centers opened on time and that all electoral materials needed were available.

The Mission highlighted the initiative of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal to inform and encourage citizens to participate in the process and welcomed measures designed to promote greater inclusion and accessibility, such as the program for access to polling centers and the inclusion of Braille templates.

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