No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveVoting Here: A Complete Pleasure

Voting Here: A Complete Pleasure

Foreign visitors and residents alike can’t help but notice the exuberant street party that characterizes Costa Rican elections. People wave flags from cars and cheer in front of colorful polling places. It looks like fun, but does this system work and what really happens on Election Day?

Last Sunday, I found out.As a naturalized Costa Rican, I got my Costa Rican cédula (I.D. card) and the privilege to vote. The first step was to find out where to vote. I simply dialed 120 and punched in my cédula number and with no busy signals or voicemail, got the location of my polling place in Belén, northwest of San José. Sunday morning, I arrived at the polling place at 7 a.m. to look for a parking place, and found a spot three meters from the door.

I got out of the car and was greeted by a young, friendly volunteer who led me through the maze of colorful party kiosks to a large tent covering a long table with several people manning ledgers. Each party has volunteers dressed in their party’s colors, but help voters regardless of which party they support. I was a bit apprehensive because my Spanish is rudimentary and I wasn’t sure about the rules concerning cameras in the polling place.

My worries where unfounded. The cheerful woman manning the ledger took no exception to my camera and found my name and cédula in seconds. My guide then accompanied me into the polling place.

There was no line and I entered a basic schoolroom with another group of volunteers manning ledgers. Again, I was greeted by a friendly helpful person who found me in his ledger immediately. I signed the book and was given three ballots: One for President, another for Congress and another for regidores (municipal council members).

The ballots were exceptionally clear and well printed. To vote, one just puts an “X” under the candidate’s name. Each candidate is listed under the party flag.

This was the most clear and easy-to understand ballot I’ve seen in 30 years of voting in three states in the U.S. No broken voting machines or confusing ballots. I took the ballots to a simple cardboard voting booth and filled out the three ballots. I emerged from the booth and was directed to put each ballot into a separate ballot box, one for each office. Job done.

During all this, I was not only encouraged to take photos, but one of the volunteers asked for my camera and took my picture as I put my ballot in the box. I left the polling room to find my volunteer waiting to walk me through the crowd and back to my car.Wow.

During this whole process I was amazed with the efficient, cheerful volunteer force and well-organized governmental process.

The whole process took less than 20 minutes and turned out to be a complete pleasure.

Maybe some of these Ticos could go help out in Southern Florida for the next U.S. presidential election.

Photographer Robert Craig, a dual U.S.-Costa Rican citizen, moved from Maui, Hawaii, to Costa Rica eight years ago.

 

Trending Now

Bolivia Elects Center-Right Leader Amid Crisis

Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American...

Expat Guide to Bilingual Schools in Guanacaste Costa Rica

When my wife and I moved to Costa Rica we were gloriously young and childless. Needless to say, childhood educational options were absent from...

Costa Rica’s Blue Carpet event unites Leaders for Ocean Innovation and Tourism

On Friday, the Costa Rican Fishing Federation (FECOP) held the second edition of La Alfombra Azul, an event created to celebrate innovation, science, and...

Costa Rica Arrests Suspects Wanted by U.S. for Cocaine Smuggling

Authorities in Costa Rica arrested four men from the southern part of the country, all wanted by the United States for extradition on charges...

How to Grow Broccoli Successfully in Costa Rica’s Highlands

In Costa Rica's cooler highland regions, home gardeners harvest fresh broccoli that brings a distinct flavor to everyday meals. This vegetable packs vitamins A,...

Costa Rica Monitors Caribbean Tropical Wave with 70% Storm Chance

Those who live along the Caribbean coast know all too well how quickly weather can turn in October. Right now, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica