1931 Peruvian general election

General elections were held in Peru on 11 October 1931 to elect the President and a Constitutional Congress.^[1] The result was a victory for Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro of the Revolutionary Union, who received 50.8% of the vote.^[2]

The election took place in the context of considerable political and economic instability.^[3] The 1930 Peruvian coup led to the overthrow of President Augusto B. Leguía and to an interim government headed by Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro.^[3] On March 1, 1931, Sánchez resigned and went into exile. He returned on July 7, 1931, to be a candidate in the 1931 Peruvian general election.^[3] Haya de la Torre shortly thereafter also returned from exile to be a candidate in the election.^[3]

The election was primarily a context between two populist caudillos, Sánchez and Haya de la Torre.^[3]

Sanchez performed well in Piura in the far northern coast, in the South, and in the centre of the country, including Lima.^[3] Haya performed well in the mid-northern coast. Haya performed better among organized labour and white-collar groups while Sanchez performed well among small shopkeepers, artisans, unskilled urban workers and literate 'Indians' in the Sierra.^[3]

Sanchez Cerro was also supported by the Nationalist Social Party, Osores was supported by the Constitutional Party, the Labourist Party and the National Coalition Party, while Jara y Ureta was supported by the Decentralist Party and Popular Union.^[4]

Twelve elected members of the Congress later had their election declared invalid, including eight from the APRA, two independents and one each from the National Coalition and Revolutionary Union.^[4]