Overview
Electoral officials in Peru opened public reviews on Monday of thousands of contested ballots from the April 12 general election, putting the official count on hold and delaying the final declaration of results. The review process, led by the National Jury of Elections (JNE), involves contested polling stations being examined in hearings before their tallies are added to the national totals.
Scope of the dispute
Peru's National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) said last week that about 6% of polling stations were challenged. Those stations represent more than one million votes and were flagged for issues such as inconsistencies, missing information or errors on tally sheets. The JNE has begun the public hearings to resolve those disputes, a procedure officials warned could take several weeks to complete.
Timing and legal limit
JNE legal coordinator Jorge Valdivia told a press conference that the final presidential 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.
Current standings and the fight for second place
With close to 94% of ballots tallied, ONPE data show conservative Keiko Fujimori holding about 17% of the vote. The contest for second place remains tightly contested between left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez and ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who stood at 12.0% and 11.9% respectively - a margin of roughly 13,000 votes that has shifted as additional ballots are reviewed.
Sanchez has in recent days inched ahead of Lopez Aliaga, a pattern observed as more of the leftist lawmaker's support has emerged from areas outside urban centers. Sanchez is identified in the count as an ally of jailed ex-president Pedro Castillo. The article's source material notes that Castillo won the presidency in 2021 with strong support from rural and interior regions of the country.
Geography and the deciding factor
Most disputed polling stations are located outside the capital Lima. In a client note cited by JNE officials, JPMorgan said the geographic origin of the challenged stations will be the "determining factor for the second round." The bank added that a widening gap in recent counts, even as urban and overseas votes continued to be counted, suggests Sanchez's rural base may be generating enough votes to offset opposing pressure.
Parallel reviews and procedural fallout
Thousands of additional tally sheets from simultaneous elections for senators and deputies are also under review, JNE officials said. The official vote count has shown little movement since Friday as those contested materials are examined.
The delays have provoked allegations of fraud from Lopez Aliaga and triggered calls from business leaders and lawmakers in several political parties for the resignation of ONPE chief Piero Corvetto. The JNE filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors against Corvetto, alleging offenses that include violations of voting rights. Corvetto has acknowledged logistical delays but has denied that irregularities occurred. He did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
European Union election observers reported last week that they found no evidence of fraud in the process.
Conclusion
The JNE's public hearings of disputed polling stations are central to resolving which ballots will be included in the final national tally. With the May 15 deadline set as the latest date to declare the presidential outcome, the review of more than one million contested votes will determine who faces front-runner Keiko Fujimori in a June runoff and will also settle unresolved legislative tallies.