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| PASO (Argentina) | |
|---|---|
| Name | PASO |
| Native name | Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias |
| Country | Argentina |
| Type | primary election |
| Established | 2009 |
PASO (Argentina) are Argentina's nationwide Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias, a system of open, simultaneous and mandatory primary elections used to select candidates for national and provincial offices. Created by national legislation and implemented by the National Electoral Chamber (Argentina), PASO integrates party selection with candidacy thresholds and ballot access rules, affecting political parties, electoral coalitions, and campaign strategy across provinces and municipalities.
PASO were introduced to regulate candidate selection within and between parties such as the Justicialist Party, Radical Civic Union, PRO, Coalición Cívica ARI, and Frente de Izquierda y de los Trabajadores. The mechanism requires participation from registered voters, linking the Argentine National Congress's mandate to the National Electoral Criminal Code and administrative oversight by the National Directorate of Electoral Affairs. PASO aim to increase transparency among actors like Electoral Justice (Argentina), the Supreme Court of Argentina, and provincial electoral tribunals while shaping competition involving figures such as Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Mauricio Macri, Alberto Fernández, Sergio Massa, and Javier Milei.
PASO were established under the 2009 law promoted within the 58th Argentine Legislature and signed into effect during the presidency of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. The statutory design references constitutional principles affirmed by precedents from the Supreme Court of Argentina and administrative rulings by the National Electoral Chamber (Argentina). Early implementation involved electoral reforms debated by blocs such as the Front for Victory, Civic Coalition ARI, and regional parties in provinces like Buenos Aires Province, Córdoba Province, Santa Fe Province, and Tucumán Province. Historical milestones include the first nationwide PASO in 2011, subsequent adjustments after disputes in the 2013 legislative election (Argentina), and judicial challenges that reached tribunals influenced by actors like Víctor Hugo (journalist) and institutions such as the Argentine Ombudsman.
PASO operate through simultaneous ballots administered by municipal and provincial authorities coordinated with the National Registry of Persons (Argentina), the Argentine Postal Service (Correo Argentino), and polling staff trained by the National Electoral Chamber (Argentina). On the day set by the Argentine Electoral Calendar, voters participate under rules that apply to presidential, legislative, and sometimes gubernatorial contests involving lists from alliances like Cambiemos and Frente de Todos. Parties failing to exceed a 1.5% threshold or meet internal quorum provisions lose eligibility for the general election ballot, affecting lists led by personalities such as Nicolás del Caño, Margarita Stolbizer, Roberto Lavagna, and Patricia Bullrich. Ballot counting, provisional tallies, and certification processes engage officials from the Ministry of the Interior (Argentina), the National Directorate of Civil Registry, and electoral judges who adjudicate disputes, recounts, and challenges presented by party lawyers from organizations like Unión por la Patria.
PASO have reshaped strategies of coalitions including La Libertad Avanza, Unidad Ciudadana, Alternativa Federal, and provincial fronts, influencing candidate selection, campaign financing managed under legislation overseen by the Federal Court of Accounts (Argentina), and media coverage involving outlets like Clarín, La Nación, Página/12, and Infobae. Critics from academics at institutions such as the University of Buenos Aires, Torcuato Di Tella University, and think tanks like the CIPPEC argue PASO increase campaign costs, favor national party machines, and constrain minor parties such as Partido Autonomista and Movimiento Socialista de los Trabajadores. Defenders—including legislators from Unión Cívica Radical and electoral authorities—cite benefits for voter choice, conflict reduction among factions, and transparency that align with international standards promoted by bodies like the Organization of American States.
Significant PASO contests influenced national politics: the 2011 PASO that consolidated candidates from the Front for Victory; the 2015 PASO leading to the presidential runoff featuring Mauricio Macri; the 2019 PASO that shaped the Frente de Todos ticket of Alberto Fernández with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as running mate; and the 2023 PASO that amplified Javier Milei's rise with implications for legislative coalitions and provincial alliances in Mendoza Province and Neuquén Province. Local PASO outcomes altered rosters in mayoralties of Buenos Aires, La Plata, and Rosario, and affected gubernatorial primaries in Salta Province, Chubut Province, and San Juan Province, demonstrating interactions among actors like Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, Axel Kicillof, Gustavo Bordet, and Gerardo Morales.
Category:Electoral systems in Argentina Category:Elections in Argentina