Peru’s electoral authorities began reviewing thousands of contested ballots on Monday, effectively stalling the count from the April 12 general election. No clear rival has emerged to face conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori in the June runoff — and a final answer may not come until mid-May.
Roughly 6% of polling stations — representing more than one million votes — were challenged last week. The reasons range from inconsistencies and missing information to errors on tally sheets.
The National Jury of Elections (JNE), Peru’s top electoral body, said it has started reviewing the disputed stations in public hearings before adding them to the final tally. The process could take weeks.
JNE legal coordinator Jorge Valdivia said the final result will be known no later than May 15. “That is the latest date we have set, because time must be given to the candidates who advance to the runoff to carry out their campaign activities,” he said.
A razor-thin race for second place
With nearly 94% of ballots counted, Fujimori holds about 17% of the vote. She’s virtually certain to advance to the June 7 runoff. The real battle is for who joins her.
Left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez and ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga are locked in an extremely tight contest for second place. Sanchez has 12.0% and Lopez Aliaga 11.9% — a margin of roughly 13,000 votes that keeps fluctuating.
Over the past week, Sanchez has gradually pulled ahead. The trend reflects a familiar pattern: strong support from rural and interior regions of the country. Sanchez is an ally of jailed former president Pedro Castillo, who won the presidency in 2021 with heavy backing from those same areas.
JPMorgan noted in a client report that most of the disputed polling stations are located outside Lima. Their geographic origin, the bank said, will be the “determining factor for the second round.”
“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,” JPMorgan added.
Fraud allegations — but no evidence found
The delays have stirred controversy. Lopez Aliaga has made fraud allegations. Business leaders and lawmakers from several political parties have called for the resignation of ONPE chief Piero Corvetto, who oversees the vote-counting process.
The JNE went further, filing a criminal complaint against Corvetto with prosecutors. The allegations include violations of voting rights. Corvetto has acknowledged logistical delays but denied any irregularities. He did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.
European Union election observers, however, found no evidence of fraud after monitoring the process last week. Their assessment stands in contrast to the heated rhetoric coming from some corners of the political spectrum.
Thousands of additional tally sheets from the simultaneous congressional elections — for both senators and deputies — are also under review, adding to the complexity.