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Argentina Rolls Out Single Paper Ballot for Sunday’s Legislative Elections

Electoral authorities detail how the new ballot will be used and the penalties tied to compulsory voting and conduct inside polling places.

Overview

  • On October 26, voters nationwide will use the Boleta Única de Papel for the first time to renew 127 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 in the Senate.
  • Poll workers will hand each voter the official ballot and an indelible pen; voters mark the chosen casillero(s), fold the paper, and deposit it directly in the urn, and they may request a new ballot if they make a mistake before casting.
  • Ballot rules differ by district: 16 jurisdictions allow one mark (deputies only) and eight allow two (deputies and senators); multiple marks in a category or adding objects or images can nullify the vote, and photographing in the booth is prohibited, with Salta warning of fines up to ARS 77,000.
  • Voting is mandatory for citizens aged 18–70, with fines for unjustified absences and possible listing in the Registry of Infractores that can limit some official procedures; amounts vary by jurisdiction and prior omissions.
  • Operational updates include fines of up to ARS 80,000 for designated polling authorities who fail to serve, free public buses in Salta from 08:00 to 18:30, and eligibility for registered permanent-resident foreigners to vote in legislative races.