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The Republic of Panama held a general election on Sunday, 2 May 2004, electing both a new President of the Republic and a new Legislative Assembly.
| Candidate | Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| José Miguel Alemán | Arnulfista Party | 245,845 | 16.39 |
| Guillermo Endara | Solidarity Party | 462,766 | 30.86 |
| Ricardo Martinelli | Democratic Change | 79,595 | 5.31 |
| Martín Torrijos | Democratic Revolutionary Party | 711,447 | 47.44 |
| Total valid votes | 1,499,072 | 100.0 | |
| Ballot papers left blank | 17,366 | 1.13 | |
| Spoiled ballot papers | 21,276 | 1.38 | |
| Total votes | 1,537,714 | Turnout 76.90% |
With nearly all the votes counted, Martín Torrijos of the Democratic Revolutionary Party led with 47% of the vote, followed by former President Guillermo Endara of the Solidarity Party, with 30%. Endara formally conceded the election at around 21:00 local time.
Torrijos will replace outgoing president Mireya Moscoso for a five-year term, beginning on 1 September 2004. Along with Torrijos, voters also elected his two vice-presidents, who run on party tickets in conjunction with the presidential candidates.
Torrijos is the son of Omar Torrijos Herrera, who served as Panama's de facto president from 1968 to 1978. Although Omar Torrijos was a radical nationalist, Martín Torrijos is described as a centrist who favors a market economy and a free-trade agreement with the United States.
In addition to its president and vice presidents, Panama elected a new Legislative Assembly (78 members), 20 deputies to represent the country at the Central American Parliament, and a string of mayors and other municipal officers.