Peru 2026 general election: what is happening and why the runoff is still undecided

Peru held its general election on 12 April, and more than ten days later it was still unclear which candidates would advance to the runoff. This article explains what is happening and where the electoral process stands.

In Peru, the presidential outcome remains open. According to official figures from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), Keiko Fujimori leads the count with close to 17%, while Roberto Sánchez (12.012%) and Rafael López Aliaga (11.915%) continue to contest second place by a very narrow margin. Therefore, although the runoff is scheduled for 7 June, it is still not possible to confirm who will compete in it.

The delay in delivering results is mainly explained by the review of flagged tally sheets and challenged ballots. ONPE stated that around 6% of polling stations—representing more than one million votes—were placed under review because of inconsistencies or incomplete information. This required a manual review process and public hearings before the final count could be validated.

Logistical problems also played a role, including delays in distributing electoral materials in parts of metropolitan Lima during election day, which in some cases even extended voting hours. In addition, the narrow margin between the candidates competing for second place makes every reviewed tally sheet especially decisive.

“We expect to have at least the presidential results by mid-May, which is what we need to determine the runoff,” said Yessica Clavijo, secretary general of the National Jury of Elections.

She explained that, by 18 April, the Special Electoral Juries had received 15,470 flagged tally sheets, only 10% of which had received a ruling, and that the total could still increase.

At the time of writing, ONPE reported that close to 94% of tally sheets had been counted. Despite allegations of fraud from some sectors, European Union observers ruled out that possibility.