Presidential elections were held in El Salvador on 20 February 1977. The result was a victory for Carlos Humberto Romero of the Party of National Conciliation, who received 67.3% of the vote. However, the election was characterised by massive fraud, with officials of the National Opposing Union (UNO, an alliance of the Christian Democratic Party, National Revolutionary Movement and Nationalist Democratic Union) intercepting military radio transmissions ordering ballot box stuffing, whilst their election officials were assaulted and ejected from polling stations. According to credible witnesses, in sixteen districts where an honest count was made, the UNO candidate, Ernesto Antonio Claramount Roseville, won around 75% of the vote.

Results