title: 1844 Costa Rican Head of State election
text: # 1844 Costa Rican Head of State election
  
  Head of State elections were held in Costa Rica in 1844. They were the first in which direct suffrage was used to elect the Head of State, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of 9 April 1844. A method that was abolished by the next election returning to indirect suffrage until 1913.
  
  The candidacy of Oreamuno triumphed unanimously at the polling stations of Bagaces, Boruca, West Cartago, South Cartago, Cot, Guanacaste, La Union, Orosí, Paraiso, Quircot, San Pablo de Heredia, Santa Cruz, Térraba, Tobosi and Tucurrique, and won comfortable victories in Cartago center, Curridabat, Desamparados, Heredia center, San José north and San José south. Alfaro won at the polls of West Alajuela, East Alajuela, Atenas, Barva, Cañas, Esparza and Puntarenas, Nicoya and San Juan del Murciélago. Mora triumphed in Escazú and Pacaca, and Blanco in Aserrí. None of the other candidates managed to win polls.
  
  On 15 November 1844, the legislative chambers declared Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla elected as Head of State for the period 1844-1848. Oreamuno took possession on November 29, 1844.
  
  ## Results
  
  | Candidate | Votes | % |
  | - | - | - |
  | Francisco María Oreamuno Bonilla | 1,541 | 67.62 |
  | José María Alfaro Zamora | 486 | 21.33 |
  | Juan Mora Fernández | 97 | 4.26 |
  | Luz Blanco [es] | 65 | 2.85 |
  | José Rafael Gallegos | 12 | 0.53 |
  | Other candidates | 78 | 3.42 |
  | Total | 2,279 | 100.00 |
  | Source: TSE |||
  