Bolivian general election, 2009

Bolivian general election, 2009

December 6, 2009

Nominee Evo Morales Manfred Reyes Villa Samuel Doria Medina Party MAS-IPSP PPB-CN National Unity Running mate Álvaro García Linera Leopoldo Fernández Carlos Fernando Dabdoub Arrien Popular vote 2,917,665 1,210,721 257,341 Percentage 64.08% 26.59% 5.65%

President before election Evo Morales MAS-IPSP Elected President Evo Morales MAS-IPSP

The Bolivian general election, 2009 was held on December 6, 2009,^[1] following a constitutional referendum held on 25 January 2009.^[2] Voters elected:

• President and Vice President of the Republic.
• 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies.
• 36 members of the Senate.

The five departments which had not already done so all voted to have departmental autonomy. Eleven municipalities voted to have indigenous autonomy, out of twelve holding such referendums.^[3] One province voted to have regional autonomy.

Presidential election

Under the new constitution all previous terms will not be considered for term limits and if any candidate fails to win over 50% of the vote and another candidate is within 10%, a second round will be held. It will be the first time that an incumbent President will run for reelection.

Candidates

The presidential candidates are:

• Evo Morales (Movement for Socialism): incumbent president.
• Manfred Reyes Villa (Plan Progreso para Bolivia - Convergencia Nacional): former prefect of the Cochabamba Department.
• René Joaquino (Social Alliance): Mayor of Potosí
• Samuel Doria Medina (Frente de Unidad Nacional)
• Alejo Véliz (Pueblos por la Libertad y Soberanía)
• Ana María Flores (Movimiento de Unidad Social Patriótica)
• Rime Choquehuanca (Bolivia Social Demócrata)
• Román Loayza (Gente)

Composition of the Senate

Composition of the Chamber of Deputies

  MAS

  PPB-CN

  UN

  AS

Opinion polling

Polling prior to the election indicated that incumbent Evo Morales enjoyed a 55% approval rating, as well as an 18 point lead over his closest challenger Manfred Reyes Villa.^[4] As Morales was expected to cruise to reelection, the local press is reporting that Villa has already purchased an airplane ticket to the United States for the 7th (the day after the election).^[4]

Results

Election result by department:

  Departments where Morales won

  Departments where Reyes won

Evo Morales won a convincing victory, with 64.22% of the vote. His party, Movement for Socialism, also won a two-thirds majority in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

Autonomy referendums

Departments

The five departments which had not already done so all voted to become autonomous departments. Each will have to produce a statute of autonomy. They were:

• Chuquisaca Department -- 79% voting yes
• Cochabamba Department -- 76.8% voting yes
• La Paz Department -- 79.6% voting yes
• Oruro Department -- 73.1% voting yes
• Potosí Department -- 73.9% voting yes^[5]

Regional autonomy

The Gran Chaco Province in Tarija held a referendum on regional autonomy, which was approved by 80.4% of voters.^[6]

Municipalities

The following municipalities voted on whether to become autonomous municipalities according to the Indigenous Originary Campesino Autonomy provisions of the 2009 Constitution. Eleven voted yes:

• Huacaya Municipality (Chuquisaca Department) – 53.7% of voters in favor of autonomy^[7]
• Tarabuco Municipality (Chuquisaca Department) – 90.8%
• Mojocoya Municipality (Chuquisaca Department) – 88.3%
• Charazani Municipality (La Paz Department) – 86.6%
• Jesús de Machaca Municipality (La Paz Department) – 56.1%
• Pampa Aullagas Municipality (Oruro Department) – 83.7%
• San Pedro de Totora Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 74.5%
• Chipaya Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 91.9%
• Salinas de Garci Mendoza Municipality (Oruro Department) -- 75.1%
• Chayanta Municipality (Potosí Department) – 60%
• Charagua Municipality (Santa Cruz Department) – 55.7%

One municipality voted no:

• Curahuara de Carangas Municipality^[3]

References

Elections and referendums in Bolivia Presidential elections 1855 1862 1873 1884 1888 1892 1904 1908 1909 1913 1917 1925 (May) 1925 (Dec) 1931 1934 1940 1947 1951 1956 1960 1964 1966 1978 1979 1980 1985 1989 1993 1997 2002 2005 2009 2014 Parliamentary elections 1855 1862 1873 1884 1888 1892 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1921 1923 1925 1927 1928 1931 1933 1934 1938 1940 1942 1944 1947 1949 1951 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1978 1979 1980 1985 1989 1993 1997 2002 2005 2006 2009 2014 Judicial elections 2011 Local elections 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1999 2004 2010 2011 2012 2013 2015 Referendums 1931 1986 2004 2006 2008 2009 2016