Faces of Sunday’s vote in and around La Carpio

The Tico Times is grateful to Vecinos Activos Cueva de Luz, a community news site focused on the San José neighborhood of La Carpio, for sharing photos and stories from Election Day with us.

Vecinos Activos (Active Neighbors) is “a social enterprise that was born from the need for a media outlet belonging to La Carpio… to show the dynamic and vivacious nature of a community where, in the past, only dramatic or somber news has been reported,” the website states.

This year’s election in the low-income settlement west of downtown San José was affected by the fact that La Carpio residents could not vote within their own district due to ongoing construction of their new elementary school. Vecinos Activos project coordinator Augusto Bolaños told the Tico Times that while the change in voting location did provoke confusion and may have affected voter turnout, one highlight of Election Day was that “many young volunteers from La Carpio who could not vote because they were underage, or immigrants, worked as guides at the Escuela Otto Hubbe,” the voting site.

“They informed voters about party platforms, helped with voter transportation and with organization throughout the day,” he wrote in an email. “They were responsible for the positive atmosphere we experienced at the school.”

Take a look at how the day unfolded:

Young people from La Carpio brought color and cheer to the electoral process with flags from their favorite parties outside the Escuela Otto Hube in La Uruca. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

This child crossed the street to invite people from Carpio and La Uruca to go to the Escuela Otto Hube to vote. Even though he identified with a party, he was committed to help people from all parties come and vote. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Alberto Yglesias Vicente voted early in the morning at the Escuela Otto Hubbe. He chose to stay all morning at the school to enjoy the day along with his pets Venus and Lizzy. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Residents of Pavas at the Supreme Elections Tribunal's information station to verify where they should vote. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Don Evelio Castro with his daughters Carolina and Valeria at the Escuela Carlos Sanabria in Pavas. Three different parties. One family. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

The Yglesias Vicente family collaborated by providing parking spots at the Escuela Otto Hube. They provided coffee and food to the voters regardless of the party they supported. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Carlos Sanabria was the only voter observed by the Vecinos Activos team who was visibly supporting the candidate Fabricio Alvarado at the Pavas voting center. Courtesy of Augusto Bolaños / Vecinos Activos

Read more election coverage from Vecinos Activos here.