2000 Venezuelan general election

General elections were held in Venezuela on 30 July 2000, the first under the country's newly adopted 1999 constitution.

Incumbent President Hugo Chávez ran for election for a full 6 year term under the new Constitution. He was challenged by a former ally of his, Zulia Governor Francisco Arias Cárdenas. Chávez easily won the election with almost 60% of the popular vote, increasing his vote share over the previous elections, and managing to carry a larger number of states. Arias Cárdenas only managed to narrowly carry his home state of Zulia.

On 8 June 2004 it was announced that the results of the presidential elections would be put to a recall referendum on 15 August.

Electoral system

Representatives in the National Assembly were elected under a mixed member proportional representation, with 60% elected in single seat districts and the remainder by closed party lists.

Results

President

 Summary of the 30 July 2000 Venezuela presidential election results

Candidates - Nominating parties	Votes	%
Hugo Chávez - Movement for the Fifth Republic (Movimiento V República)	3,757,773	59.76
Francisco Arias Cárdenas - The R Cause (La Causa R)	2,359,459	37.52
Claudio Fermín - Encuentro Nacional	171,346	2.72
Total	6,288,578	100.0
Registered voters	11,720,660
Votes cast (% of registered voters)	6,637,276	56.63
Valid votes (% of votes cast)	6,288,578	94.75
Invalid votes (% of votes cast)	348,698	5.25
No-votes (% of votes cast)	37,080	0.56
Abstention (% of registered voters)	5,120,464	43.69
Source: National Electoral Council (Venezuela) [1]

Popular vote
Chávez			59.76%
Cárdenas			37.50%
Others			2.72%

National Assembly

Summary of the 30 July 2000 Venezuelan National Assembly (Asamblea Nacional) election results

Party	Votes	%	Seats
Fifth Republic Movement (Movimiento V [Quinta] República)	1,977,992	44.38	91
Democratic Action (Acción Democrática)	718,148	16.11	33
Project Venezuela (Proyecto Venezuela)	309,168	6.94	6
COPEI (Copei - Partido Social Cristiano de Venezuela)	227,349	5.10	6
Movement Toward Socialism (MAS)	224,170	5.03	6
Other	1,000,469	22.45	-
Total	4,457,296	100	165
Registered Voters	11,705,807
Votes Cast (% of registered voters)	6,560,503	56.05
Vetted Votes (% of votes cast)	6,559,149	99.98
Valid Votes (% of vetted votes)	4,457,296	67.96
Invalid Votes (% of vetted votes)	2,101,850	32.04
Abstention (% of registered voters)	5,145,199	43.95

Source: National Electoral Council (Venezuela) [2]

Popular Vote
MVR			44.38%
AD			16.11%
PROVE			6.94%
COPEI			5.32%
MAS			5.03%
LCR			4.41%
PJ			2.47%
PPT			2.27%
UNT			1.75%
ABP			1.10%
Miranda Voters			1.08%
CVGV-LAPY			1.07%
Others			8.06%

Seats
MVR			55.76%
AD			20.00%
PROVE			3.64%
COPEI			3.64%
MAS			3.64%
PJ			3.03%
CVGV-LAPY			2.42%
LCR			1.82%
UNT			1.82%
PPT			0.61%
Others			3.64%