Chileans will be called again for a new election. In October 2024, the South American country must elect its new mayors, councilors, regional governors and regional councilors. In the prelude to this process, the municipal and gubernatorial primaries will be held, which were scheduled for Sunday, June 9. In this instance, the candidates who will represent each political bloc in the final election will be determined.
The ruling party, which is made up of the Frente Amplio – the bloc (and future single party) originating from the left-wing president, Gabriel Boric -; Democratic Socialism—an alliance with the parties of the defunct Concertación—; and the Communist Party (PC), has reached an understanding with the Christian Democratic Party, of the center-left, to form a list in the election of mayors and define its unique candidates in some municipalities. The opposition, grouped in the traditional right-wing coalition Chile Vamos, will also resort to this method to resolve its municipal and regional governorship candidates.
Primaries have some particular characteristics that differentiate them from final elections. One of them is the mandatory nature of voting, which is not applied in this type of election.
What are they and what are chosen in the primaries
Chile has had legal primaries since 2013. According to Law No. 20,640, it is an election organized by the Electoral Service of Chile (Servel) to designate candidates for a specific position of popular election —mayors, deputies, senators. , regional governors or presidents of the Republic—. The winners will appear on the ballot during the final election. The legislation establishes that each political coalition registers its own primary, where members of their groups and independents can participate and vote. A member of a party cannot vote in a primary of another political alliance. For example, a person registered as an adherent of the Communist Party is prevented from voting in the primary organized by Chile Vamos, and receives a different ballot than independents.
Legal primaries receive state funding for their organization and have a campaign period. When political parties do not reach an agreement to present a primary, they must use other methods to nominate their candidates such as conventional or non-legal primaries, survey measurements or direct appointments by the party leaders or bases.
The registered candidates
The Servel has made official the list with the 215 candidates registered for the primaries of mayors and regional governors. In the list, which is published on the electoral entity’s website, you can also verify in which commune or region there will be an election.
The pacts and registered parties
On April 10, Servel closed registration for the municipal and regional governor primaries on June 9. The first list to seal its participation was that of the Social Christian Party, a right-wing formation linked to evangelical churches, which will have primaries for mayors and regional governors. The second registered block was that of Chile Vamos, from the traditional right, which brings together the National Renewal, Independent Democratic Union and Political Evolution parties. The third coalition, which will only participate in the mayoral primaries, was Contigo Chile Mejor, which is made up of the ruling parties (Social Convergence, Democratic Revolution, Comunes, Socialist Party, Party for Democracy, Radical Party, Liberal Party, Party Communist, Social Green Regionalist Federation and Humanist Action) plus the Christian Democratic Party.
A draw held on April 13 defined the letter that the agreements will have on the ballots. The Chile Vamos list will appear with the letter A; the Contigo Chile Mejor alliance will have the letter B; and the block of the Christian Social Party and Independents will be with the letter C.
Communes with elections
The mayoral primaries will be held in 60 municipalities in the country. The election of governors will have only two primaries, in the regions of Coquimbo and Aysén, which were registered by the right-wing bloc Chile Vamos. The complete list of communes where there will be elections this Sunday is available on the official website of the process.
The appointment of table members
In Chile, the polling stations are made up of polling station members, who are citizens authorized to vote who are chosen by lottery to carry out this task. This is a mandatory task, from which you can only excuse yourself under the causes determined by law. The list of board members designated for the municipal and regional gubernatorial primaries was published on Saturday, May 18 through the Servel consultation platform.
Mandatory or voluntary voting
Chile has established mandatory voting for all elections, except for primaries, where attendance at the polls is voluntary. The municipal election, of governors and of regional councilors on October 27 will be with mandatory attendance of voters, as they are elections in which the authorities are directly elected.
What pencil is used to vote?
Since October 2020, when the first election was held in the midst of the covid pandemic, it was established that the vote could be marked with a pencil. The measure was maintained until the recently passed constitutional plebiscite of December 2023. In these primaries, the use of the traditional graphite pencil will be resumed. According to Servel, the return of the paste pencil must be established by a law that is still being debated in Congress.
Dry Law
The electoral law establishes that municipalities and regions that will have primary elections must prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages on Sunday, May 9, from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The possible elimination of the Prohibition Law for future elections is another matter that is being discussed in the Chilean Congress.
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