Ecuadorian general election, 2006
Encyclopedia
On 15 October 2006, Ecuador
held a general election. The voters stood to elect a new President, a new National Congress
, as well as other positions.
Since no candidate was able to secure the needed majority of the presidential vote in the first round, a run-off election was held on 26 November. According to preliminary results published by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on 28 November, Rafael Correa
had a clear lead over Álvaro Noboa
after 96% of the votes had been counted.
tycoon Álvaro Noboa
won almost 27 percent of the presidential vote while leftist Rafael Correa
won close to 23 percent. Since neither candidate gained over half of the votes or a minimum of 40 percent with a 10 percent lead over the closest rival, a second-round election was held to determine the winner.
Summary of the 15 October 2006 and 26 November 2006 Ecuador presidential election results
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left rowspan=2 valign=top|Candidates - Parties
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=2 align=right|First round
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=2 align=right|Second round
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|%
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|%
|-
|align=left valign=top|Rafael Correa
- Alianza PAIS
|bgcolor=lightgreen | 1,246,333
|bgcolor=lightgreen valign="top"| 22.84
|bgcolor=green | 3,517,635
|bgcolor=green valign="top"| 56.67
|-
|align=left valign=top|Álvaro Noboa
- Institutional Renewal Party of National Action
|bgcolor=green | 1,464,251
|bgcolor=green valign="top"| 26.83
| 2,689,418
|valign="top"| 43.33
|-
|align=left valign=top|Gilmar Gutiérrez - January 21 Patriotic Society Party
| 950,895
|valign="top"| 17.42
|valign="top" colspan=2 rowspan=11|
|-
|align=left valign=top|León Roldós Aguilera
- Ethical and Democratic Network / Party of the Democratic Left
| 809,754
|valign="top"| 14.84
|-
|align=left valign=top|Cynthia Viteri
- Social Christian Party
| 525,728
|valign="top"| 9.63
|-
|align=left valign=top|Luis Macas
- Pluri-National Pachakutik United Movement
| 119,577
|valign="top"| 2.19
|-
|align=left valign=top|Fernando Rosero - Ecuadorian Roldosist Party
| 113,323
|valign="top"| 2.08
|-
|align=left valign=top|Marco Proaño Maya - Movement for Democratic Vindication
| 77,655
|valign="top"| 1.42
|-
|align=left valign=top|Luis Villacís - Democratic People's Movement
| 72,762
|valign="top"| 1.33
|-
|align=left valign=top|Jaime Damerval Martínez - Concentration of People's Forces
| 25,284
|valign="top"| 0.46
|-
|align=left valign=top|Marcello Larrea Cabrera - ATR
| 23,233
|valign="top"| 0.43
|-
|align=left valign=top|Lenin Torres - Movimiento Revolucionario de Participación Popular (MRPP)
| 15,357
|valign="top"| 0.28
|-
|align=left valign=top|Carlos Francisco Sagnay de la Bastida - INA
| 13,455
|valign="top"| 0.25
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total
| 5,457,607
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 6,966,145
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Blank votes
| 316,220
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 70,219
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Null votes
| 775,613
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 681,960
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left colspan=5|Source: Tribunal Supremo Electoral - second round totals
|}
In previous elections, the mass media usually counted and displayed null and blank votes as contenders in running tallies from exit polls and final results, both infographically and in spoken language. In contrast to former election processes, this time the media spent almost no time reporting null and blank votes. Infographics and spoken reports simply discounted null and blank votes, electing to sum only non-null votes.
One potential reason for this change in reporting may lie in the discontent of the Ecuadorian electorate with the political candidates: it was thought possible that null choices could have gathered the most votes, even more than the favourite candidates.
According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the first-round total of null and blank votes was 1,091,833, which is less than the vote for either of the top two candidates.
According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), out of 97.29% of the votes counted, 57.07% were for Correa and 42.96% for Noboa. Among others, the Organization of American States
, US
ambassador Linda Jewell, and representatives of many South American countries have recognised Correa as the winner of the election. However, as of 29 November, Álvaro Noboa had still not admitted defeat.
Rafael Correa was duly sworn in as president for a four-year term on 15 January 2007.
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
held a general election. The voters stood to elect a new President, a new National Congress
National Congress of Ecuador
The National Congress was the unicameral legislative branch of the government of Ecuador prior to November 2007....
, as well as other positions.
Since no candidate was able to secure the needed majority of the presidential vote in the first round, a run-off election was held on 26 November. According to preliminary results published by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal on 28 November, Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
had a clear lead over Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Fernando Noboa Pontón is an Ecuadoran businessman and politician.Noboa has been actively involved in politics, unsuccessfully running for the office of President of Ecuador in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2009...
after 96% of the votes had been counted.
Main candidates
- Rafael CorreaRafael CorreaRafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
(running mate: Lenín MorenoLenín MorenoLenín Boltaire Moreno Garcés is an Ecuadorian lawyer and politician.Moreno has been the Vice-President of Ecuador since 15 January 2007...
) - Gilmar Gutiérrez (Patriotic Society PartyJanuary 21 Patriotic Society PartyThe January 21 Patriotic Society Party is a populist political party in Ecuador.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won at least two out of one hundred seats, but some additional seats in alliances with other parties...
) - Álvaro NoboaÁlvaro NoboaÁlvaro Fernando Noboa Pontón is an Ecuadoran businessman and politician.Noboa has been actively involved in politics, unsuccessfully running for the office of President of Ecuador in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2009...
(PRIANInstitutional Renewal Party of National ActionThe Institutional Renewal Party of National Action is a right-wing populist political party in Ecuador.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won 10 out of 100 seats...
) (running mate: Vicente Taiano) - León Roldós (running mate: Ramiro González)
- Cynthia ViteriCynthia ViteriCynthia Fernanda Viteri Jiménez de Villamar is an Ecuadorian advocate, journalist and politician.On 15 October 2006, she took part in the Ecuadorian presidential election and got 525,728 votes, representing 9.63% of the total poll.Website: -References:...
First round
The rightist bananaBanana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
tycoon Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Fernando Noboa Pontón is an Ecuadoran businessman and politician.Noboa has been actively involved in politics, unsuccessfully running for the office of President of Ecuador in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2009...
won almost 27 percent of the presidential vote while leftist Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
won close to 23 percent. Since neither candidate gained over half of the votes or a minimum of 40 percent with a 10 percent lead over the closest rival, a second-round election was held to determine the winner.
Summary of the 15 October 2006 and 26 November 2006 Ecuador presidential election results
Elections in Ecuador
Elections in Ecuador gives information on election and election results in Ecuador.Ecuador elects on national level a head of state, , and a legislature. The President of the Republic and his vice-president are elected on one ballot for a four-year term by the people...
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=left rowspan=2 valign=top|Candidates - Parties
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=2 align=right|First round
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" colspan=2 align=right|Second round
|-
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|%
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|Votes
!style="background-color:#E9E9E9" align=right|%
|-
|align=left valign=top|Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
- Alianza PAIS
|bgcolor=lightgreen | 1,246,333
|bgcolor=lightgreen valign="top"| 22.84
|bgcolor=green | 3,517,635
|bgcolor=green valign="top"| 56.67
|-
|align=left valign=top|Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Noboa
Álvaro Fernando Noboa Pontón is an Ecuadoran businessman and politician.Noboa has been actively involved in politics, unsuccessfully running for the office of President of Ecuador in 1998, 2002, 2006, and 2009...
- Institutional Renewal Party of National Action
Institutional Renewal Party of National Action
The Institutional Renewal Party of National Action is a right-wing populist political party in Ecuador.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won 10 out of 100 seats...
|bgcolor=green | 1,464,251
|bgcolor=green valign="top"| 26.83
| 2,689,418
|valign="top"| 43.33
|-
|align=left valign=top|Gilmar Gutiérrez - January 21 Patriotic Society Party
January 21 Patriotic Society Party
The January 21 Patriotic Society Party is a populist political party in Ecuador.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won at least two out of one hundred seats, but some additional seats in alliances with other parties...
| 950,895
|valign="top"| 17.42
|valign="top" colspan=2 rowspan=11|
|-
|align=left valign=top|León Roldós Aguilera
León Roldós Aguilera
León Roldós Aguilera is an Ecuadorian politician. He was born in Guayaquil in 1942. His mother died during his birth. He studied law at the state University of Guayaquil . He became Secretary of the Municipality of Guayaquil under Mayor Asaad Bucaram , of the populist party Concentración de...
- Ethical and Democratic Network / Party of the Democratic Left
| 809,754
|valign="top"| 14.84
|-
|align=left valign=top|Cynthia Viteri
Cynthia Viteri
Cynthia Fernanda Viteri Jiménez de Villamar is an Ecuadorian advocate, journalist and politician.On 15 October 2006, she took part in the Ecuadorian presidential election and got 525,728 votes, representing 9.63% of the total poll.Website: -References:...
- Social Christian Party
Social Christian Party (Ecuador)
The Social Christian Party is a center-right political party in Ecuador.The party was founded by Camilo Ponce Enríquez and was initially focused on Quito...
| 525,728
|valign="top"| 9.63
|-
|align=left valign=top|Luis Macas
Luis Macas
Luis Macas Ambuludí is a Kichwa politician and intellectual from Saraguro Ecuador.Macas has honorary university degrees in anthropology, linguistics and jurisprudence. He was one of the founders of the CONAIE and of the Pachakutik Movement, and was member of the National Congress of Ecuador...
- Pluri-National Pachakutik United Movement
| 119,577
|valign="top"| 2.19
|-
|align=left valign=top|Fernando Rosero - Ecuadorian Roldosist Party
Ecuadorian Roldosist Party
The Ecuadorian Roldosist Party is a centre-left populist political party in Ecuador.At the legislative elections, 20 October 2002, the party won 15 out of 100 seats. Its candidate Jacobo Bucaram Ortiz won 11.9 % of the vote in the presidential elections of the same day, coming in 6th place...
| 113,323
|valign="top"| 2.08
|-
|align=left valign=top|Marco Proaño Maya - Movement for Democratic Vindication
| 77,655
|valign="top"| 1.42
|-
|align=left valign=top|Luis Villacís - Democratic People's Movement
Democratic People's Movement
The Democratic People's Movement is the electoral wing of the Marxist-Leninist Communist Party of Ecuador and a political party in Ecuador since 1978....
| 72,762
|valign="top"| 1.33
|-
|align=left valign=top|Jaime Damerval Martínez - Concentration of People's Forces
Concentration of People's Forces
The Concentration of People's Forces is a populist political party of Ecuador many in the party leadership are of Lebanese descent and developed a power base in support of popular figures turned politicians....
| 25,284
|valign="top"| 0.46
|-
|align=left valign=top|Marcello Larrea Cabrera - ATR
| 23,233
|valign="top"| 0.43
|-
|align=left valign=top|Lenin Torres - Movimiento Revolucionario de Participación Popular (MRPP)
| 15,357
|valign="top"| 0.28
|-
|align=left valign=top|Carlos Francisco Sagnay de la Bastida - INA
| 13,455
|valign="top"| 0.25
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Total
| 5,457,607
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 6,966,145
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Blank votes
| 316,220
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 70,219
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|Null votes
| 775,613
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
| 681,960
|width="75" align="right" style="background-color:#E9E9E9"|
|-
|align=left colspan=5|Source: Tribunal Supremo Electoral - second round totals
|}
Noteworthy lack of reporting of null votes
Since Ecuador makes voting mandatory for every individual between the age of 18 and 65, individuals may nullify their vote on the ballot, or elect to leave the ballot blank.In previous elections, the mass media usually counted and displayed null and blank votes as contenders in running tallies from exit polls and final results, both infographically and in spoken language. In contrast to former election processes, this time the media spent almost no time reporting null and blank votes. Infographics and spoken reports simply discounted null and blank votes, electing to sum only non-null votes.
One potential reason for this change in reporting may lie in the discontent of the Ecuadorian electorate with the political candidates: it was thought possible that null choices could have gathered the most votes, even more than the favourite candidates.
According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, the first-round total of null and blank votes was 1,091,833, which is less than the vote for either of the top two candidates.
Run-off
On 28 November, Correa was declared the winner, although Noboa did not accept defeat, and suggested that he might challenge the validity of the ballot.According to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), out of 97.29% of the votes counted, 57.07% were for Correa and 42.96% for Noboa. Among others, the Organization of American States
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
, US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ambassador Linda Jewell, and representatives of many South American countries have recognised Correa as the winner of the election. However, as of 29 November, Álvaro Noboa had still not admitted defeat.
Rafael Correa was duly sworn in as president for a four-year term on 15 January 2007.