For the First Time, Women Would Occupy 25% of Presidential Ballot in Costa Rica ⋆ The Costa Rica News

The ballot for the 2026 elections is beginning to take shape, and at least five women are strengthening the process to be part of it. This is a numerical record, since, until now, the largest number of women aspiring to the Presidency of the Republic was in 2022, when there were four candidates.

But at the same time, this would be the time when female candidates have the greatest proportional presence. Considering that up to 20 parties completed the procedures to ratify their tickets in the Assemblies, women would lead 25% of them. This is a summary of the role women have played in previous presidential elections.

45 Years as Spectators

Although women won the right to elect and be elected president in 1949, it took 45 years for one of them to appear on the presidential ballot. In 1994, Norma Vargas ran for Zapote with the Unión Generaleña Party (UNG) and was the first female candidate.

The Guanacastecan lawyer finished second to last in the voting. She received 2,150 votes, in an election ultimately won by José María Figueres of the National Liberation Party (LLP).

By 1998, when the female vote reached half a century, the elections had a record three female presidential candidates. First in line was Vargas, who was running for president again, but now with the Pueblo Unido Party (POP). Also in the running were Marina Volio of Rescate Nacional (RESCENTE NATIONAL) and Yolanda Gutiérrez of the Independent Party (POP).

The latter also included two female vice presidential candidates—Leda García and Rafaela Dobles—making them the only presidential ticket in history composed entirely of women.

The results were not favorable to those aspirations. Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, with the Unidad Party, won the election. For subsequent elections, the ballots again had only men in the top spot, and it took 12 years for the female candidates to return. This time, things were different, and Laura Chinchilla broke new ground by becoming the first female president in history.

With 46% of the vote, the Liberationist candidate swept the election (the last to be won in the first round), in which Mayra González, of the Costa Rican Renewal Party, also participated. In 2018, Stephanie Campos joined that list of women aspiring to reach Zapote, also running for president under the banner of Costa Rican Renewal.

Finally, in the last election, in 2022, the current record was reached with four candidates. At that time, Carmen Quesada, Lineth Saborío, Maricela Morales, and Natalia Díaz appeared. Of these, Saborío achieved the best result, finishing in fifth place with a quarter of a million votes.

The 2026 Candidate Outlook

Although the official campaign process and the presentation of nominations have only just begun, prior announcements by the parties have confirmed the list of five candidates for the February 2026 election.