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Chile Votes in First Compulsory Presidential and Legislative Elections as Runoff Looms in December

Restored compulsory voting enlarges the electorate to about 15.7 million, setting up a likely December 14 runoff.

Overview

  • Pre‑election surveys place left‑wing candidate Jeannette Jara first but below 50%, with José Antonio Kast and Johannes Kaiser battling for a tight second place and Evelyn Matthei close behind.
  • The electoral authority Servel reported only 27.54% of polling tables constituted at 08:00 local time, with setup accelerating thereafter and voting proceeding through a 18:00 close.
  • Right‑wing contenders signaled post‑first‑round alignments, with Kaiser pledging to back any opponent of Jara and Kast vowing to support any list opposing the current government if he falls short.
  • Security and irregular migration dominated the campaign agenda, reflecting voter concerns that helped shape the leading candidates’ platforms.
  • Voters are also choosing all 155 deputies and 23 of 55 senators under compulsory suffrage with fines for absences, and early results are expected a few hours after polls close.