1868 Argentine presidential election

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1868 Argentine presidential election
Flag of Argentina.svg
  1862 12 April 1868 1874  
Presidential election
  Sarmiento.jpg Urquiza.jpg RufinoDeElizalde.JPG
Nominee Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Justo José de Urquiza Rufino de Elizalde
Party Independent Federalist Nationalist  [ es ]
Electoral vote792622
Percentage60.31%19.85%16.79%

Elecciones presidenciales de Argentina de 1868.png
Results by province

President before election

Bartolomé Mitre
Nationalist  [ es ]

Elected President

Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
Independent

Presidential elections were held in Argentina on 12 April 1868 to choose the president of Argentina. Domingo Faustino Sarmiento was elected.

Contents

Background

Presiding over a prosperous economy overshadowed somewhat by the costly Paraguayan War, President Mitre was at pains to avoid risking the tenuous national unity his administration had secured. Though he hand-picked prospective candidates, Mitre avoided the appearance of direct support for any one figure, while limiting the field to those he considered acceptable. Electors from Buenos Aires Province favored Autonomist Party  [ es ] candidate Adolfo Alsina, who was instead persuaded by Mitre to run for the vice-presidency. The nomination was handed to the Ambassador to the United States, Domingo Sarmiento, who remained at his post and did not campaign. Mitre also supported former Unitarian Party leader Rufino de Elizalde and his running mate General Wenceslao Paunero, a key figure in Mitre's victory at the Battle of Pavón. These candidates were all preferred by the president over that year's dark horse, former President Justo José de Urquiza (whom Mitre attempted to dissuade from running for fear of the separatist conflict his presence might provoke). [1]

These candidates were, with the exception of Sarmiento, contentious in many circles and provided the new system its first real test. The electoral college met on 12 April 1868, and selected Sarmiento by 79 out of 131 votes, making this the only closely contested race during this era. [2]

Results

President

CandidatePartyVotes%
Domingo Faustino Sarmiento Independent7960.31
Justo José de Urquiza Federalist Party 2619.85
Rufino de Elizalde Nationalist Party  [ es ]2216.79
Guillermo Rawson Nationalist Party  [ es ]32.29
Dalmacio Vélez Sarsfield Nationalist Party  [ es ]10.76
Total131100.00
Registered voters/turnout156

By province

ProvinceSarmientoUrquizade ElizaldeRawsonVélez Sarsfield
Buenos Aires 2431
Catamarca 10
Córdoba 16
Corrientes Did not vote
Entre Ríos 8
Jujuy 7
La Rioja 6
Mendoza 10
Salta 10
San Juan 8
San Luis 8
Santa Fe 8
Santiago del Estero 12
Tucumán Votes not preserved
Total79262231

Vice president

CandidatePartyVotes%
Adolfo Alsina Autonomist Party  [ es ]8262.60
Wenceslao Paunero Nationalist Party  [ es ]4534.35
Manuel Anselmo Ocampo  [ es ]Independent21.53
Juan Bautista Alberdi Independent10.76
Francisco de las Carreras Independent10.76
Total131100.00
Registered voters/turnout156

By province

ProvinceAlsinaPauneroOcampoAlberdide las Carreras
Buenos Aires 2521
Catamarca 10
Córdoba 313
Corrientes Did not vote
Entre Ríos 8
Jujuy 43
La Rioja 6
Mendoza 10
Salta 10
San Juan 8
San Luis 8
Santa Fe 71
Santiago del Estero 12
Tucumán Votes not preserved
Total8245211

Notes

  1. Levene, Ricardo. A History of Argentina. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1937.
  2. Todo Argentina: 1868 Archived 2018-07-17 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)

References