1931 Salvadoran general election

General elections were held in El Salvador on 11 and 13 January 1931. Arturo Araujo won the presidential elections running on a Labor PartyNational Republican Party ticket.

1931 Salvadoran presidential election

11–13 January 1931

Candidate Arturo Araujo Alberto Gómez Zarate Enrique Córdova Party PL PZ PDN Popular vote 106,777 64,280 34,499 Percentage 46.65% 28.09% 15.07%

President before election Pío Romero Bosque PND Elected President Arturo Araujo PL

Background

Previous elections had usually seen the incumbents choosing their successors, allowing the oligarchy perpetual control of the country's politics. However, on this occasion Pío Romero Bosque failed to designate a successor, resulting in a wide variety of candidates.[1]

Whilst Arajuo obtained a plurality of the votes, he had failed to secure a majority.[2] However, the newly elected Assembly consisted largely of Arajuo supporters, and when convenened on 12 February, allowed him to assume the presidency.[3] However, Araujo, a landowner with progressive ideals, had the misfortune of taking office in the midst of massive labor and student strikes. Martial law was declared, and soon the military, upset about not having received its pay and supported by the oligarchy, which distrusted Araujo, easily overthrew his government after nine months.[4]

Results

President

Candidate		Party	Votes	%
	Arturo Araujo	Labor Party–National Republican Party	106,777	46.65
	Alberto Gómez Zarate	Zaratista Party	64,280	28.09
	Enrique Córdova	National Development Party	34,499	15.07
	Antonio Claramount Lucero	Progressive Fraternal party	18,399	8.04
	Miguel Tomás Molina	Constitutional Party	4,911	2.15
Total			228,866	100.00
Registered voters/turnout			392,383	–
Source: Nohlen

References

1. Grieb, Kenneth J (1971) "The United States and the rise of General Maximiliano Hernández Martínez" Journal of Latin American Studies 3, 2 p152
2. Dieter Nohlen (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook Vol. 1 Oxford University Press, p287
3. Grieb, p153
4. Bland, Gary "Assessing the transition to democracy" in Tulchin, Joseph S. with Gary Bland (1992) Is there a transition to democracy in El Salvador? Boulder: Westview Press, p 166

Bibliography

• Alvarenga Venutolo, Patricia (1996) Cultura y etica de la violencia San José: EDUCA
• Anderson, Thomas P. (1971) Matanza: El Salvador's communist revolt of 1932 Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press
• Larde y Larín, Jorge (1958) Guía Histórica de El Salvador San Salvador: Ministerio de Culture
• Political Handbook of the world 1931 New York, 1932.
• Vidal, Manuel (1970) Nociones de historia de Centro América San Salvador: Ministerio de Educación. Ninth edition