Overview
- About 16 million registered voters are casting ballots, with polls set to close at 6 p.m. local time and early results expected soon after.
- Kast enters the day as the front-runner after right-of-center contenders rallied behind him, though blank or null ballots could sway the final margin.
- Public anxiety over crime and irregular migration has dominated the race, and Kast promises mass deportations, fortified borders and broader military powers.
- Jara, a former labor minister, has emphasized tougher security measures and social protections but carries the burden of President Boric’s weak approval ratings.
- Markets have signaled support for a potential Kast presidency since the first round, yet his Republican Party lacks a congressional majority, constraining sweeping policy shifts.