2012 Puerto Rican general election

2012 Puerto Rican general election

← 2008 November 6, 2012 2016 →
Gubernatorial election
Turnout78.11%
 
Candidate Alejandro García Padilla Luis Fortuño
Party Popular Democratic New Progressive
Popular vote 896,060 884,775
Percentage 48.04% 47.44%

Results by municipality
Padilla:      40-50%      50-60%
Fortuño:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

Luis Fortuño
New Progressive

Elected Governor

Alejandro García Padilla
Popular Democratic

Resident Commissioner election
 
Candidate Pedro Pierluisi Rafael Cox Alomar
Party New Progressive Popular Democratic
Alliance Democratic Democratic
Popular vote 905,066 881,181
Percentage 48.76% 47.47%

Results by municipality
Pierluisi:      40-50%      50-60%
Alomar:      40–50%      50–60%

Resident Commissioner before election

Pedro Pierluisi
New Progressive

Elected Resident Commissioner

Pedro Pierluisi
New Progressive

General elections were held in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, to elect the officials of the Puerto Rican government that would serve for the next four years, most notably the Governor of Puerto Rico.[1] A status referendum was held on the same date.

The gubernatorial elections were won by then-Senator Alejandro García Padilla from the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), who defeated incumbent governor Luis Fortuño from the New Progressive Party (PNP) in a close election. This election marked the second time in more than 40 years that six parties participated in the election, the first time in more than 60 years that a status referendum was held on the same day as the general election, and the first time in Puerto Rico that absentee ballots were issued for those who were out of the country on the day of the election.[2] As of 2024, this was the most recent time a member of the Popular Democratic Party won the governorship of Puerto Rico, and the last time a Republican did so.

In the elections for Resident Commissioner, incumbent Pedro Pierluisi of the PNP (who caucused with the Democratic Party and who was first elected in 2008, narrowly won reelection for a second term.[3] Pierluisi defeated his closest opponent, Rafael Cox Alomar of the PPD by almost 1.3%.[3]

  1. ^ "Electoral Calendar - international elections world elections". Retrieved May 12, 2011.
  2. ^ Díaz, Carmen (June 24, 2012). "Elección para la historia". El Vocero. Archived from the original on July 6, 2012. Retrieved September 15, 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Puerto Rican Governor Luis Fortuno loses re-election". Voxxi. November 7, 2012. Archived from the original on September 29, 2013. Retrieved November 10, 2012.