At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Costa Rica

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda
• Head of Government: President Laura CHINCHILLA Miranda
• Assembly: Costa Rica has a unicameral Legislative Assembly (Asamblea Legislativa) with 57 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by a qualified majority vote of 40 percent to serve a 4-year term. Presidents are allowed to serve non-consecutive terms.

Election Notes:

• The last presidential election was held on February 7, 2010, with Laura CHINCHILLA winning the election for the PLN with 46.78 percent of the election. The election will be held alongside elections to the Legislative Assembly. The 2014 general elections will mark the first time that Costa Ricans abroad will be able to vote. The 10,264 Costa Ricans abroad will be able to vote at their nearest consulate for the election.

Main Candidates in the Presidential race:

• Johnny Francisco ARAYA Monge
  • ​National Liberation Party / Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN)
• Luis Guillermo SOLÍS Rivera
  • ​Citizens’ Action Party / Partido Acción Ciudadana (PAC)
• Otto GUEVARA Guth
  • ​Liberation Movement Party / Partido Movimiento Libertario (PML)
• Rodolfo PIZA Rocafort
  • ​Social Christian Unity Party / Partido Unidad Social Cristiana (PUSC)
• Óscar Andrés LÓPEZ Arias
  • Accessibility Without Exclusion / Partido Accesibilidad sin Exclusión (PASE)
• Justo OROZCO Álvarez
  • Costa Rican Renovation Party / Partido Renovación Costrricense (PRC)
• Jose María VILLALTA Florez Estrada
  • ​Broad Front Party / Partido Frente Amplio (FA)
• Jose Manuel ECHANDI Meza
  • National Advancement Party / Partido Avance Nacional (PAN)
• Carlos Luis AVENDAÑO Calvo
  • National Restoration Party / Partido Restauración Nacional (PREN)
• Walter MUÑOZ Céspedes
  • National Integration Party / Partido Integración Nacional (PIN)
• Sergio MENA Díaz
  • New Generation Party / Partido Nueva Generación (PNG)
• Jose Miguel CORRALES Bolaños
  • New Fatherland Party / Partido Patría Nueva (PPN)
• Héctor Enrique MONESTEL Herrera
  • Workers Party / Partido de los Trabajadores

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 4,757,606 (2014)
• Registered Voters: 3,078,321 (2014)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 2,376,679 (2014)

·         Is Costa Rica a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Costa Rica ratified CEDAW: Yes (4 April 1986)

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 19 (following 2014 elections)

·         Human Development Index Position: 69

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Low

Disability Data:

·         Is Costa Rica a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Costa Rica ratified CRPD: Yes (1 October 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 713,640 (est.)