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Elections in Nicaragua

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The Republic of Nicaragua elects on the national level a head of state—the president—and a unicameral legislature. The president of Nicaragua and his or her vice-president are elected on one ballot for a five-year term by the people.

The National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) has 92 members: 90 deputies elected for a five-year term by proportional representation (20 nationally and 70 regionally), the outgoing president, and the runner-up in the last presidential election. Should the president be reelected (not originally planned for in the Nicaraguan constitution), the outgoing vice president takes the seat reserved for him instead.

Nicaragua has a multi-party system.

Latest elections

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2021 presidential election

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Main article: 2021 Nicaraguan general election
CandidatePartyVotes%
Daniel OrtegaSandinista National Liberation Front2,093,83475.87
Walter EspinozaConstitutionalist Liberal Party395,40614.33
Guillermo OsornoNicaraguan Party of the Christian Path89,8533.26
Marcelo MontielNicaraguan Liberal Alliance85,7113.11
Gerson GutiérrezAlliance for the Republic48,4291.75
Mauricio OruéIndependent Liberal Party46,5101.69
Total2,759,743100.00
Valid votes2,759,74394.47
Invalid/blank votes161,6875.53
Total votes2,921,430100.00
Registered voters/turnout65.26
Source: CSE

2021 National Assembly election

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PartyNationalConstituencyTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front2,039,71774.17152,024,59873.296075
Constitutionalist Liberal Party259,7899.452411,10114.8879
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance140,1995.10199,3353.6012
Independent Liberal Party128,5204.67169,5232.5201
Alliance for the Republic127,9974.65149,1721.7801
Nicaraguan Party of the Christian Path53,9591.96082,8443.0011
YATAMA25,7180.9311
Reserved seat1
Total2,750,181100.00202,762,291100.007091
Valid votes2,750,18194.162,762,29194.54
Invalid/blank votes170,5505.84159,5275.46
Total votes2,920,731100.002,921,818100.00
Source: CSE, CSE, 100noticias

2021 Central American Parliament election

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PartySeats
Sandinista National Liberation Front15
Constitutionalist Liberal Party2
Independent Liberal Party1
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance1
Conservative Party0
Alliance for the Republic1
Total20
Source: 100noticias.com.ni

2019 autonomous regional elections

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The eighth autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast took place on March 3, 2019. The voters elected 45 members to each Regional Council in the RACCN and the RACCS.

(These results are preliminary, as voting is still being counted by the Supreme Electoral Council).

Total votes for all participating parties:

Source: [1]

Past elections

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Presidential elections 1984–2011

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1984

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The 1984 election took place on November 4. Of the 1,551,597 citizens registered in July, 1,170,142 voted (75.41%). The null votes were 6% of the total. The national averages of valid votes for president were:

The pro-Sandinista magazine, Envio claimed that this election was considered to have the "most freedom of choice" in the nation's history and was approved by international advocates of free elections.[2]

1990

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The historical election of 1990 took place on February 25. The total registered voters were 1,752,088 and the abstentions 241,250 or 13.7%. The United Nicaraguan Opposition coalition of those who opposed the ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front was victorious, winning 55% of the vote. Violeta Chamorro became president. The national averages of valid votes for president were:

1996

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In presidential elections, Arnoldo Alemán of the Liberal Alliance-Liberal Constitutionalist Party defeated Daniel Ortega of the Sandinista National Liberation Front. A record number of 24 parties and alliances participated in these elections.

2001

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CandidateRunning matePartyVotes%
Enrique BolañosJosé RizoConstitutionalist Liberal Party1,228,41256.31
Daniel OrtegaAgustín JarquínSandinista National Liberation Front922,43642.28
Alberto Saborío Conservative Party30,6701.41
Total2,181,518100.00
Registered voters/turnout2,980,641–
Source: IPADE, La Nacion

2006

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CandidatePartyVotes%
Daniel OrtegaSandinista National Liberation Front854,31638.07
Eduardo MontealegreNicaraguan Liberal Alliance650,87929.00
José Rizo CastellónConstitutionalist Liberal Party588,30426.21
Edmundo JarquínSandinista Renovation Movement144,5966.44
Edén PastoraAlternative for Change6,1200.27
Total2,244,215100.00
Registered voters/turnout3,665,141–
Source: IFES

2011

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CandidatePartyVotes%
Daniel OrtegaSandinista National Liberation Front1,569,28762.46
Fabio Gadea MantillaIndependent Liberal Party778,88931.00
Arnoldo AlemánConstitutionalist Liberal Party148,5075.91
Édgar Enrique Quiñónez TucklerNicaraguan Liberal Alliance10,0030.40
Róger Antonio Guevara MenaAlliance for the Republic5,8980.23
Total2,512,584100.00
Source: CSE

2016

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Candidate Party Votes %
Daniel Ortega Sandinista National Liberation Front 1,806,651 72.44
Maximino Rodríguez Constitutionalist Liberal Party 374,898 15.03
José Alvarado Independent Liberal Party 112,562 4.51
Saturnino Cerrato Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance 107,392 4.31
Erick Cabezas Conservative Party 57,437 2.30
Carlos Canales Alliance for the Republic 35,002 1.40
Invalid/blank votes – –
Total 2,493,942 100
Registered voters/turnout – –
Source: CSE, BBC[1]

Parliamentary election results 1984–2016

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1984

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The 1984 parliamentary election was held together with the presidential election on November 4. The percentages for National Assembly representatives were very similar to those the parties had received for their presidential candidate. The electoral quotient needed to win one of the 90 National Assembly seats was obtained by dividing the number of valid votes in each region by the number of representatives that had been assigned to each region, proportional to its population.

Each party's "left over" votes—those insufficient to earn it a seat in a given region—were then added together and re-tallied nationally. The seats earned in this second count went to the next candidate on the party's slate in the regions where it had come closest to winning on the first round. In addition, any party getting at least 1% of the presidential vote (which all six losing parties did) was allowed a seat for its defeated presidential candidate. The final composition of the National Assembly was thus:

Source: [5]

1990

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The 1990 parliamentary election was held together with the presidential election on February 25. The final composition of the National Assembly in 1990 was:

Note: The 1990 Assembly members are joined by any presidential candidate who receives over 1% of the vote

Sources: [6] [7]

1996

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The 1996 elections for the National Assembly took place together with the presidential election on October 20. The final composition of the National Assembly in 1996 was:

Source: [8]

2001

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PartyNationalDepartmentalTotal
seats
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Constitutionalist Liberal Party1,144,18253.23111,132,87652.604152
Sandinista National Liberation Front905,58942.139901,25441.842837
Conservative Party99,6734.640105,1304.8811
YATAMA11,1390.5200
Multiethnic Party for Coast Unity3,5200.1600
Special members[a]2
Total2,149,444100.00202,153,919100.007092
Source: IRI
  1. ^ The runner-up in the presidential election and the outgoing president are special members of the National Assembly.

By region

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Region FSLN PLC PCN Other
Boaco 27.98% 68.43% 3.60% 0.00%
Carazo 46.44% 48.61% 4.95% 0.00%
Chinandega 50.54% 43.98% 5.48% 0.00%
Chontales 27.65% 65.39% 6.96% 0.00%
Esteli 50.57% 45.84% 3.59% 0.00%
Granada 38.29% 47.72% 13.98% 0.00%
Jinotega 38.08% 59.67% 2.25% 0.00%
Leon 51.08% 45.35% 3.56% 0.00%
Madriz 46.13% 50.22% 3.66% 0.00%
Managua 44.22% 49.32% 6.47% 0.00%
Masaya 41.77% 53.64% 4.59% 0.00%
Matagalpa 39.24% 57.50% 3.26% 0.00%
Nueva Segovia 45.97% 52.61% 1.42% 0.00%
RAAN 37.42% 43.87% 1.96% 16.75%
RAAS 21.34% 73.11% 1.84% 3.71%
Rio San Juan 34.96% 59.40% 5.64% 0.00%
Rivas 41.06% 51.56% 7.38% 0.00%
Source: Constituency Level Elections Archive[2]

2006

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PartyFirst roundSecond roundTotal
seats		+/–
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front840,85137.598847,56537.903038+1
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance597,70926.724596,28126.661822New
Constitutionalist Liberal Party592,11826.478591,80526.461725–27
Sandinista Renovation Movement194,4168.690188,3358.4255New
Alternative for Change12,0530.54012,3540.5500New
Special members[a]20
Total2,237,147100.00202,236,340100.0070920
Registered voters/turnout3,665,141–
Source: IFES, Election Passport, Psephos
  1. ^ The runner-up in the presidential election (Eduardo Montealegre of the ALN) and the outgoing president Enrique Bolaños Geyer (independent) are special members of the National Assembly.

2011

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PartyNationalDepartmentalTotal
seats		+/–
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front1,583,19960.85131,595,47060.644962+11
Independent Liberal Party 822,02331.596824,18031.332026New
Constitutionalist Liberal Party167,6396.441173,3066.5912–23
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance19,6580.76024,8700.9500–22
Alliance for the Republic 9,3170.36013,0630.5000New
Special members[a]20
Total2,601,836100.00202,630,889100.0070920
Registered voters/turnout3,303,831–
Source: EODS
  1. ^ The runner-up in the presidential election (Fabio Gadea Mantilla of the PLI) and the outgoing president are special members of the National Assembly; as Ortega was re-elected, the outgoing Vice President (Jaime Morales Carazo of the FSLN), who was not Ortega's running mate in this election (having been replaced by Omar Halleslevens, took his seat.
2016 legislative election
Party National Constituency Total
seats 		+/–
Votes % Seats Votes % Seats
Sandinista National Liberation Front 1,590,316 65.86 14 1,608,395 66.46 56 70 +7
Constitutionalist Liberal Party 369,342 15.30 3 375,432 15.51 10 13 +11
Independent Liberal Party 162,043 6.71 1 117,626 4.86 1 2 −25
Nicaraguan Liberal Alliance 137,541 5.70 1 137,078 5.66 1 2 +2
Conservative Party 106,027 4.39 1 110,568 4.57 0 1 +1
Alliance for the Republic 49,329 2.04 0 70,939 2.93 1 1 +1
YATAMA – – – 30,901 1.28 1 1 −1
Special members[a] – – – – – – 2 0
Invalid/blank votes – – – – – –
Total 2,414,598 100 20 2,450,939 100 70 92 0
Registered voters/turnout – – – –
Source: CSE, El 19 Digital
  1. ^ The runner-up in the presidential election (Maximino Rodríguez of the Constitutionalist Liberal Party) and the outgoing president are special members of the National Assembly; as Ortega was re-elected, outgoing Vice President Omar Halleslevens of the FSLN, who was not Ortega's running mate in these elections (having been replaced by Rosario Murillo), will take up his seat.

Municipal election results 1990–2017

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1990

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The 1990 municipal election was held together with the presidential and the parliamentary elections on February 25. Municipal Councils were elected in 131 municipalities nationwide. The final results for the elections were:

Sources: [9] [10]

1996

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A great expectation in the 1996 municipal elections was the participation for the first (and last) time of what the Electoral Law terms "popular subscription associations". According to the Electoral Law, to be formed, an association needed, among other things, to present to the Supreme Electoral Council a "written request signed by a minimum of 5% of the citizens on the electoral rolls corresponding to the respective electoral area". A total of 53 associations participated in the municipal elections. One of them (the Civic Association of Potosí) won the mayor's post.

Despite winning only one municipality, an important number of association candidates finished in second or third place. In the nation's capital, Managua, two independent candidates; Pedro Solórzano of the Viva Managua Movement association and Herty Lewites of the Sol (sun) association competed against the AL and FSLN official candidates. ALN's Roberto Cedeño got the 28% of the votes followed closely by Solórzano with 26%, Carlos Guadamúz from the FSLN with 25.7% and Herty Lewites who became Managua's mayor four years later came in fourth place with 12.3%.

The 1996 municipal election took place together with the presidential election on October 20. Municipal Councils were elected in 145 municipalities nationwide. The final results for the elections were:

Source: [11]

2000

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In the 2000 municipal election 1,532,816 voters elected Municipal Councils in 151 municipalities nationwide. It was the first time that the presidential and municipal elections were held separately. The final results for the elections were:

The FSLN won for the first time in ten years the municipality of Managua, Nicaragua's capital city with its candidate Herty Lewites that pulled 44% of the votes.

Source: [12]

2004

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In the 2004 municipal election 1,664,243 voters elected Municipal Councils in 152 municipalities nationwide, with nearly a 56% abstention. The final results for the elections were:

Note: Elections took place for the first time in the newly created municipality of San José de Bocay in the Jinotega department.

The 2004 municipal elections represented a huge Sandinista victory. The FSLN-Convergence won 14 of the 17 departmental capitals, 87 of the 152 municipalities—including 5 of the 6 that make up Managua’s greater metropolitan area—and 25 of Nicaragua’s 42 largest cities. In total it will govern a little over 4 million inhabitants, nearly 71% of the national population.

The Sandinista victory was attributed to the success of the FSLN-Convergence alliance. Of the 87 mayors elected on the FSLN ticket, 17 come from these allies: 5 are independents, 3 are from the Resistance, 3 belong to the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS), 2 are Conservatives, 2 are Liberals, 1 is from the Christian Unity Movement (MUC) and 1 is a Social Christian. Of the deputy mayors who ran with an FSLN mayoral candidate, 28 are Liberals, 16 are independent, 14 are from the MUC, 9 are Conservatives, 9 are from the MRS, 3 are from the Resistance and 1 is a Social Christian. These allied candidates allowed the FSLN to win 12 municipal governments for the first time.

Source: [13]

2017 municipal elections

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In the 2017 municipal election voters elected Municipal Councils in 153 municipalities nationwide, with around 53% turnout. The final results for the elections were:

Source: [citation needed]

2022 municipal elections

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Main article: 2022 Nicaraguan municipal elections

Autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast results 1990–2014

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1990

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The first autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast took place in 1990 together with the presidential, parliamentary and municipal election on February 25. The voters elected the 45 Regional Council members in what was officially called the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the 45 in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS). The abstention was 21%, only 7% higher than the national average:

Note: National Assembly representatives also have a seat.

Sources: [14] [15]

1994

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With an abstention of 34%, the inhabitants of the Atlantic Coast elected the 45 Regional Council members in what is officially called the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the 45 in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS) on February 27:

Sources: [16] [17]

1998

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With an abstention of 40%, the inhabitants of the Atlantic Coast elected the 45 Regional Council members in what is officially called the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the 45 in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS) on March 1.:

Sources: [18] [19]

2002

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With an overall abstention of 50–60%, inhabitants of the Atlantic Coast elected 90 Regional Council members on March 3:

Sources: [20] [21]

2006

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The fifth autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast took place on March 5. The abstention was a record-high 55%. The voters elected the 45 Regional Council members in what was officially called the North Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAN) and the 45 in the South Atlantic Autonomous Region (RAAS):

Three other parties did not pull enough votes to win a seat in the Regional Council; the regional Multiethnic Party for Coast Unity (PAMUC), the Sandinista Renovation Movement (MRS) alliance, and Alliance for the Republic (APRE).

Source: [22]

2010

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The sixth autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast took place on March 7. The abstention rate was 60%. The voters elected 45 Regional Council members in the RAAN and 45 in the RAAS:

Source: [23]

2014

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The seventh autonomous elections on the Caribbean Coast took place on March 2. The abstention rate was 59%. The voters elected 45 members to each Regional Council in the newly renamed North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCN) and South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region (RACCS):

Source: [24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Nicaragua leader Daniel Ortega wins third consecutive term". BBC. Retrieved 13 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Nicaragua". Constituency-Level Elections Archive. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
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