Elections tribunal names seven companies allowed to publish polls on presidential campaign

Costa Rica’s Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE) this week closed the registration period for polling companies covering the country’s run-up to Feb. 2 presidential elections, and seven companies obtained authorization.

The presidential campaign officially began on Oct. 2, and during the current period only these seven companies are allowed to publish poll results in local media, including online media and social networks. 

The polling companies that fulfilled TSE registration requirements are: Demoscopía SA, UNIMER, Víctor Borge & Asociados, CID GALLUP, F&F Research and Development, the University of Costa Rica’s Center for Political Studies and Research, and Enfoques Estudios de Opinión.

Article 138 of the country’s Electoral Code states that companies must cease publishing poll results three days before Election Day.

Individuals or companies failing to comply with the law could face fines of up to ₡3.7 million ($7,600). The ban includes all media, and specifically media publishers.

The TSE also asked polling companies to retain all documents related to opinion studies and polls performed during the election campaign until at least a day after the election.