This Saturday (11/15), the Chilean military took control of all 3,379 election centers in the country in preparation for the presidential and parliamentary elections to be held this Sunday (11/16). The Defense Ministry said more than 26,000 soldiers were mobilized to ensure the election was held in a “safe and orderly” manner.
Defense Minister Adriana Delpiano said troops were already deployed from north to south, from Visbiri on the border with Peru to Villa Las Estrellas in Antarctica. The operation also includes the support of 4,435 Civil Defense and Red Cross volunteers responsible for logistics and support to voters.
“Authorities will continue to prepare to ensure the safety and order of the 2025 presidential and parliamentary elections,” the government said.
Voting obligation and voting day rules
Voting is compulsory for Chilean citizens residing in Chile. Failure to attend can result in a fine of 0.5 to 1.5 UTM, which currently varies between USD 34,771 and USD 104,313 depending on the classification of the violation.
Polling stations will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. local time, but may be extended if there are still voters lining up inside or outside the premises. Military operations will continue until voting ends and election materials are transported.
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Chile is divided
- The front-runner to succeed Gabriel Boric as president is Janet Hara, a communist who rose to power in the face of 2019 protests that left 32 people dead and another 3,000 injured, in the midst of the country’s most turbulent decade since democracy.
- Two attempts to draft a new constitution failed, but the radical right grew as discourses of order and crime dominated public debate.
- In this scenario, a debate materialized between moderate communists and right-wing candidates.
- José Antonio Casto, Republican, friend of Jair Bolsonaro and advocate of tough policies on crime and immigration. Johannes Kaiser, the ultra-liberal, YouTuber and provocateur, and Evelyn Massey, the more moderate centre-right alternative.
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Janet Hara, Chilean general election favorite
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what will happen to the vote
Elections take different forms depending on the region. Three votes in the regions to elect the president, congressmen and senators (Arica and Parinacota, Tarapaca, Atacama, Valparaíso, Maule, La Araucanía and Aisén). Two votes have already been cast in regions where only the president and members of parliament are elected.
Overseas, voters only vote for the President of the Republic. The Chilean government expects a large turnout this Sunday due to expanded safety measures and mandatory voting.
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