MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru closes a troubled election day and begins a lengthy count with outcome uncertain

Photo: Angela Ponce / Reuters

More than 10,000 polling centers closed in Peru on Sunday after a ten-hour voting day disrupted by logistical failures that forced authorities to extend the schedule by one hour, to 6:00 p.m. local time. The National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) reported that 99.8% of polling stations were installed, but 15 voting centers in Lima — containing 211 stations — could not be set up, leaving 63,300 voters unable to cast ballots.

The problems originated with the contractor Servicios Generales Galaga, hired to distribute electoral materials across metropolitan Lima. According to ONPE, the company failed to deliver ballot forms, computer equipment and other supplies on time. Some polling sites in the capital opened up to five hours late, producing long lines and widespread frustration, particularly in Lima's southern districts.

Roughly 27 million Peruvians were eligible to vote in elections for president, two vice presidents, 60 senators, 130 members of the lower house and five representatives to the Andean Parliament. The official count is expected to be slow: ONPE announced it would not hold a public results presentation on election night, instead updating figures progressively through its digital platform.

The first exit polls, released at the close of voting by pollsters Ipsos and Datum, agree in placing conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori in first place. Ipsos, based on 15,000 interviews, gives her 16.6% of the vote, followed by leftist Roberto Sánchez at 12.1%, Ricardo Belmont at 11.8%, ultraconservative Rafael López Aliaga at 11% and center-right Jorge Nieto at 10.7%. Datum produced similar figures: Fujimori at 16.5%, López Aliaga at 12.8%, Nieto at 11.6% and Belmont at 10.5%.

The gap between the four candidates vying for second place falls within the margin of error in both surveys, leaving the night's central question unresolved: who will face Fujimori in the runoff scheduled for June 7. If her passage to the second round is confirmed, it would mark the fourth consecutive time the Fuerza Popular leader has reached a presidential runoff.

The extreme fragmentation of the vote — with 35 candidates on the ballot and none above 17% in exit polls — reflects the political volatility that has defined Peru over the past decade, according to CNN. Following the close of polls, Fujimori called for voting to be extended or for a supplementary session on Monday for those unable to cast their ballots. López Aliaga sharply criticized the head of ONPE over the logistical failures.

Official preliminary results are expected to be published gradually in the coming hours.