The preliminary figures of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal have shown 34.27% of abstention. According to experts, this is an expected percentage and an average phenomenon since 1998.
The provinces of Limón, Puntarenas and Guanacaste had the lowest participation rates. However, according to Ronald Alfaro, researcher at CIEP, this phenomenon has been present since 1953.
The province that participated least in the process was Puntarenas, with an abstention percentage of 44.47%, followed by Limón, with a 43.01% abstention rate, and finally Guanacaste, which obtained a percentage of 40.78%.
Politicians have great difficulty in attracting voters and get them out of the valley,”
said the researcher, who believes this influences the low participation of the areas of the periphery.
On the other hand, Alfaro assures that the figures of abstention in the second round could be increased, and mentioned that the date in which the next elections will take place could take its toll on the issue of participation, since it will be on Resurrection Sunday.