Polling stations open in Chile for local elections

Polling stations opened today in Chile to elect mayors, city councilors, governors and regional councilors in an electoral process that will last two days.

Some 15.5 million people have been summoned to the polls this weekend to elect 2,900 local officials for the next four years.

These are the first elections with compulsory voting since the measure was reinstated in 2022, and a high turnout is expected because those who do not vote without proper justification can be fined.

More than 18,000 candidates have registered for these elections, which will elect 16 governors, 345 mayors, 2,256 city councilors and 302 regional councilors.

The municipal and regional elections are considered a thermometer for what could happen in next year’s legislative and presidential elections.