Polls close as Chileans complete 1st round of voting in polarized presidential race

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Polls closed Sunday after Chileans cast their votes to elect a new president and parliament in a contest presenting a dramatic choice between the hard left and the far right.

The race is primarily viewed as a clash between two frontrunners: Jeannette Jara of the Communist Party, who is leading, is the former labor minister in the current left-wing government lead by Gabriel Boric.

Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party is an ultraconservative lawyer and former lawmaker running on a hardline platform demanding an "iron fist" to restore public order.

Despite the deep ideological divide, both frontrunners have been compelled to address the soaring public anxiety over rising crime and immigration, which are the dominant voter concerns in the country

With eight candidates in the running, polling indicates that none of them is likely to secure the 50.01% of the vote necessary to win outright. This means the presidential election is expected to proceed to a runoff on Dec. 14.

A total of 15.7 million Chileans are eligible to vote in these presidential and legislative elections. This election marks the first time that voting is compulsory for all eligible citizens, a factor expected to lead to significantly higher turnout than in previous years.

In addition to the presidency, citizens are also electing the entire 155-member Chamber of Deputies and half of the 50-seat Senate.

Electoral authorities have stated that polls cannot close if voters are still waiting in line. Results are generally expected about two hours after polls close, likely around 8 pm local time (2300GMT).

The new president is scheduled to take office on March 11, 2026