Santiago de Chile – Some 4.8 million Chileans are called to the polls today to choose candidates for mayors in 60 communes and governors in two regions, on a day where voting is voluntary.
The Contigo Chile Mejor list, which integrates 11 groups of the ruling party, such as the Broad Front, Democratic Socialism, the Communist Party, the Socialist Party, the Social Green Regionalist Federation, Commons, Liberal and Christian Democracy, among others, will hold 46 primaries for mayors.
Meanwhile, the right-wing Chile Vamos coalition, made up of Renovación Nacional, the Independent Democratic Union and Evópoli, will hold elections to define candidates for communal leaders in 20 municipalities and for governors in the regions of Coquimbo and Aysén.
The Social Christian Party and the Independents will also choose candidates for municipal positions.
All polling stations will operate from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., as long as there are no voters waiting to vote.
Although the law reestablishing mandatory voting was enacted in December 2022, this regulation will not apply to the primaries.
This is a voluntary election, but its results will be relevant and binding for the October general elections. Therefore, our interest is that there is a great participation, commented Andrés Tagle, President of the Board of Directors of the Electoral Service.
This Sunday’s elections are the first step in the process towards those on October 27, where the governors and regional councilors, mayors and councilors will be chosen in the 345 communes of the country.
The municipal elections are considered key and a prelude to what could happen in the parliamentary and presidential elections of 2025.
