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Jara and Kast Head to Chile Runoff After Partial Count Shows No Majority

Mandatory voting expanded participation, with security fears defining the campaign.

Overview

  • With 52.39% of ballots counted, Servel reported Jeannette Jara at 26.58% and José Antonio Kast at 24.32%, setting a December 14 runoff.
  • President Gabriel Boric congratulated both front-runners and called for dialogue, respect and unity as counting continued.
  • Sunday’s vote was the first presidential contest under mandatory voting and automatic registration, obliging more than 15.7 million people to participate.
  • Crime and migration dominated the race, with Kast pledging tougher border controls and Jara proposing more police and financial tools against organized crime.
  • The sum of right-leaning first-round votes outpaced the left, and polls have indicated Kast would be favored in a head-to-head matchup.