On August 14, 2011, primary elections [1] [es] were held in Argentina for the first time. This new way of voting allows the population to choose possible candidates for the positions of President, Member of Parliament and Senator: if candidates gain 400,000 votes (1.5% of the electoral roll), they may run for their respective post in the definitive elections in October 2011.
The official website 2011 Elections [2] [es] explains the methodology which will be applied in Argentina:
When are the elections? Unlike previous occasions, and as a result of the approval of Law No. 26,751, we will have a greater level of participation and will have to vote at least twice:
On August 14th we will choose between the pre-candidates standing for each political party and alliance, to decide who will be the candidates in the National Elections for the positions of President and Vice-President, National Senators and Members of Parliament.
On October 23rd we will elect our representatives for various national elective posts from those candidates chosen in the Primary Elections.
Following a long electoral campaign, the current president, Cristina Fernández [3] [es] has achieved the highest number of votes and is thus able to run for the presidential elections with a high chance of winning. However, Deborah Mend [4] (@debbiemend) [5] clarifies via Twitter that winning the highest number of votes does not signify winning elections:
No entiendo por que los medios ponen ‘Gano Cristina’ si fueron elecciones primarias y era la única candidata del FpV!! #primarias2011 [6]
Nicolas Spolli [8] (@nicolasspolli30 [9]), an Argentinian football player who is currently playing for Catania [10], expresses his happiness at the result on his Twitter account:
Que hermosa paliza le dimos a todos Cristinita querida! Que feliz me pone la eleccion que hiciste! En 2 meses algunos van a tirar la toalla?
There was a high voter turnout throughout the country and the process took place with absolute calm, as Liliana T [12] (@lili_Argentina [13]) testifies:
#asivote [14]Voté en Almagro. Llegué y voté al toque. No falto boletas! Todo normal!. Acompañé a pareja a votar a Ciudadela. Todo impecable!
At 8pm Argentinean time, the current President and presidential candidate for the party Front for Victory [16] [es] for the 2011 elections, published her first comment of the day on Twitter ( @CFKArgentina [17]):
Un video de esta mañana, votando en Río Gallegos y charlando con el periodismo youtube.com/user/CFKArgent… [18]
The other candidates for the presidential race are: Ricardo Alfonsín [19][es], Eduardo Duhalde [20] [es], Hermes Binner [21] [es] among others.
Since the close of voting, numbers of votes for the current president have climbed, and with 95.5% of polling stations’ votes counted, the results are the following according to the news site Infobae [22] (@Infobae [23]), at the time of writing this post:
#e2011 [24]: 95,5% mesas escrutadas, @CFKArgentina [25] 50,07% – @RICALFONSIN [26] 12,19% – @eduardoaduhalde [27] 12,17% – @HermesBinner [28] 10,29% | #Primarias [29]
This large majority as well as the virtual draw between the second and third candidates provoked a wave of reactions both in favour of and against the results. One of the most popular hashtags was ‘AVANTI MOROCHA’ [32] referring to Cristina Fernandez and David [33] (@eltwdedavid [34]), who according to his Twitter profile considers himself to be neither a Kirchner nor a Fernandez supporter, comments:
Somos la mitad mas uno, somos el pueblo, el carnaval! AVANTI MOROCHA!
On the other hand, Guido Escot [35] (@Dementinsane [36]), via the hashtag #chauCFK [37] poses the question:
Todo el que dijo #chauCFK [38] donde están? diganme ni unidos toda la oposición logran un balotaje…. #yovotocfk [39]
And Dina Rezinovsky [41] (@dinarezi [42]) reflects on the results:
Luego d pensar toda la noche (?) concluyo q en las primarias se juntaron los “estómagos vacíos” y el “aparato de dar plata a vagos” #E2011 [43]
Starting Monday, August 15, the candidates will begin their campaigns, and on October 23 the new President who will govern Argentina for the next 4 years will be elected. Meanwhile, we can only wait, as Fernando Kohutiak [45] (@fkohutiak [46]) writes:
Mis más sinceras felicitaciones a todos los partidos que lograron validar sus candidatos. Ahora empieza otra historia. #E2011 [43] #Argentina [47]