| Country: | El Salvador |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 1977 Salvadoran presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 1977 |
| Next Election: | 1984 Salvadoran presidential election |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
| Election Date: | 29 April 1982 |
| Turnout: | 88.33% |
| Image1: | 3x4.svg |
| Nominee1: | Álvaro Magaña |
| Party1: | AD–PDC–PCN |
| Color1: | F95400 |
| Electoral Vote1: | 36 |
| Percentage1: | 67.92% |
| Party2: | Nationalist Republican Alliance |
| Electoral Vote2: | 17 |
| Percentage2: | 32.08% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Carlos Humberto Romero. |
| Before Party: | National Coalition Party (El Salvador) |
| After Election: | Álvaro Magaña |
Indirect presidential elections were held in El Salvador on 29 April 1982. The Legislative Assembly voted on three candidates nominated by the armed forces. Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja, leader of the Democratic Action, was elected by 36 votes to 17, ahead of the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) candidate.[1]
Roberto D'Aubuisson accused Jaime Abdul Gutiérrez Avendaño of imposing on the Assembly "his personal decision to put Álvaro Alfredo Magaña Borja in the presidency" in spite of a "categorical no" from the ARENA deputies. Magaña was sworn into office on 2 May.[2]
Of the seven abstaining votes, four were from PCN members, two from National Republican Alliance members and one from a Salvadoran Popular Party member.