Election officials in Peru started examining thousands of challenged ballots Monday, creating significant delays in determining the final outcome of the April 12 general election as the race for second place in the presidential runoff remains extremely close.
More than one million votes from approximately 6% of polling locations across the country are under review due to incomplete information or mistakes on vote tallying forms, according to Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE).
The National Jury of Elections (JNE), Peru’s highest election authority, announced it has begun conducting public hearings to examine each disputed polling station before including those results in the official count, a procedure that may require several weeks to complete.
“We expect that by mid-May we will have, at the very least, the presidential results, which are what we need to determine the runoff,” JNE Secretary General Yessica Clavijo told local radio station RPP.
The official vote tallying has remained virtually unchanged since Friday. Based on nearly 94% of counted ballots, conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori maintains approximately 17% of votes, while left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez and ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga continue battling for the second runoff position with 12.0% and 11.9% respectively – separated by roughly 13,000 votes.
During recent days, Sanchez has slowly gained ground over former Lima mayor Lopez Aliaga, continuing a trend that has benefited the leftist legislator who serves as an ally to imprisoned former president Pedro Castillo. Castillo secured the presidency in 2021 through substantial backing from rural and inland areas of Peru.
The majority of contested polling stations are situated beyond Lima, the capital city, and their geographical distribution will serve as the “determining factor for the second round,” JPMorgan noted in a client analysis.
“The fact that the gap has widened again, even as urban and overseas votes continue to be counted, suggests that Sanchez’s rural base is generating enough votes to offset opposing pressure,” the bank added.
The counting delays have sparked fraud accusations from Lopez Aliaga and demands for ONPE chief Piero Corvetto’s resignation from business leaders and legislators representing multiple political parties.
The JNE submitted a criminal complaint to prosecutors against Corvetto, citing alleged violations including breaches of voting rights.
While Corvetto has admitted to logistical setbacks, he has rejected claims that any voting irregularities occurred. Corvetto did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
European Union election observers reported last week that they discovered no evidence of fraudulent activity.
