Voter registration low among Tico expats

Records from the Immigration Administration indicate that more than 300,000 Costa Ricans live abroad, but if elections were held today, only 6,000 of them would be ready to vote.

The latest report by the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) shows that only 6,418 Costa Rican expats are registered to vote in 2014 presidential elections. Some 4,000 of registered Ticos live in the United States.

TSE authorities said that 54 Costa Rican consulates currently are prepared to handle expat voting. The deadline for registration is Oct. 2, and TSE officials are finishing a draft bill to regulate voting abroad.

Presidential elections are scheduled for Feb. 2, 2014, and 3,011,866 voters are currently registered.