2003 Argentine general election

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Argentina held a presidential election on Sunday, 27 April 2003. Turnout was 78.2%. No one presidential candidate gained enough votes to win outright, but the scheduled runoff was cancelled when former president and first round winner Carlos Menem pulled out just 4 days before the planned runoff on 18 May, handing the presidency to runner up, Santa Cruz Province Governor Néstor Kirchner of the Front for Victory. Legislative elections were held on 12 dates, 27 April, 24 August, 31 August, 7 September, 14 September, 28 September, 5 October, 19 October, 26 October, 9 November, 16 November and 23 November. As of 2023, this marked the last time that both the president elect and vice president elect ticket were both men.

For the first time since the return of democracy in 1983, the Justicialist Party (PJ) failed to agree on a single presidential candidate. Three credible Peronist candidates ran in the election: center right former President Carlos Menem, center left Santa Cruz Province Governor Néstor Kirchner, and centrist former president Adolfo Rodríguez Saá. None were officially supported by the party, though President Eduardo Duhalde publicly endorsed Governor Kirchner on January 15, 2003. The PJ suspended its January 24 convention, opting to allow the three contenders to run on the Peronist mantle. None of the candidates were allowed to use the traditional Peronist iconography in detriment of the others. Rather than face a humiliating defeat, Menem withdrew from the runoff on May 14, a move that was roundly criticized by the other candidates. These elections were unprecedented in their staggered scheduling; indeed, legislators and governors were chosen over 12 different dates, during 2003. They were also, however, a return to political normalcy following a chaotic and economically depressed 2002. The Justicialist Party, which was divided among three candidates in the presidential race, remained largely united in legislative and local races. They added 12 seats in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, as well as 2 governorships, and fears of a high number of dissident tickets did not materialize. The centrist Radical Civic Union, senior partners in the ill fated Alliance that had returned them to power in 1999, were left with their smallest representation since 1954, though they were not replaced by the center left ARI in a significant way; the ARI added but 2 Congressmen. Voters sentiment improved over 2001 levels (when the sentiment among many was that "they should all go"), though not significantly. Turnout increased only modestly, and the use of invalid votes declined from 24% to 15% from the tense 2001 elections. Voters in the important Santa Fe Province, in particular, curbed their use of spoiled ballots from 30% to 20%. Kirchner ended 2003 on a more secure footing than before these local and legislative elections. He benefited from allies such as the new governor of the paramount Buenos Aires Province, Felipe Solá, as well as the Mayor of Buenos Aires, Aníbal Ibarra. Argentina celebrated 20 years of continuous democratic rule on December 10, 2003, with a new government carrying generous numbers of allies in Congress and the provinces, as well as voters' high expectations. DistrictElected GovernorParty%Runner upParty%Buenos Aires Felipe Solá Justicialist 43.3 Luis Patti Federalist Unity Party 13.3Catamarca Eduardo Brizuela del Moral Civic Social Front (UCR) 50.8 Luis Barrionuevo Justicialist Front 43.5Chaco Roy Nikisch UCR 53.4 Jorge Capitanich Front for Victory 40.9Chubut Mario das Neves Justicialist 45.6 José Lizurume L UCR 41.2 City of Buenos Aires1 Aníbal Ibarra R Great Front 53.5 Mauricio Macri Commitment to Change 46.5 Córdoba José Manuel de la Sota R Justicialist 51.8 Oscar Aguad UCR 37.2Entre Ríos Jorge Busti Justicialist 44.6 Sergio Varisco Social Front Alliance 34.4 Formosa Gildo Insfrán R Justicialist 71.8 Gabriel Hernández Front for All 24.4Jujuy Eduardo Fellner R Justicialist 55.8 Gerardo Morales UCR 35.2La Pampa Carlos Verna Justicialist 49.1 Francisco Torroba Alternative Front 25.5La Rioja Ángel Maza R Justicialist 55.4 Jorge Yoma Work and Production Front 43.4Mendoza Julio Cobos UCR 42.9 Guillermo Amstutz Justicialist 35.7Misiones Carlos Rovira R Renewal Front 47.9 Ramón Puerta Justicialist 32.4Neuquén Jorge Sobisch R Neuquén People's Movement 56.1 Aldo Duzdevich Justicialist 19.9Río Negro Miguel Saiz UCR 32.6 Julio Arriaga Great Front 20.4Salta Juan Carlos Romero R Justicialist 49.7 Andrés Zottos Salta Renewal Party 24.4San Juan José Luis Gioja Justicialist 41.4 Roberto Basualdo Life and Commitment Front 30.8 San Luis Alberto Rodríguez Saá Justicialist 90.1 Marcelo Shortrede Fatherland and Family Movement 5.5Santa Cruz Sergio Acevedo Justicialist 70.9 Anselmo Martínez Convergence for Santa Cruz 27.9Santa Fe Jorge Obeid Justicialist 43.2 Hermes Binner Socialist Party 38.3Santiago del Estero2 Mercedes Aragonés de Juárez R Justicialist 68.1 José Luis Zavalía UCR 13.0 Tierra del Fuego Jorge Colazo UCR 52.8 Carlos Manfredotti L Justicialist 47.2Tucumán José Alperovich Justicialist 44.4 Esteban Jerez Union for Tucumán 25.8

1: The City of Buenos Aires is not a province but an autonomous federal territory. The head of the local Executive is referred to as "Government Chief." 2: Election held September 15, 2002. R: Reelected. L: Incumbent lost.