Elections in Chile - Presidential Elections

Presidential Elections

Presidential elections elect a president, who serves as chief of state and head of government for a period of four years. Perpetual non-consecutive reelection is permitted.

The President is directly-elected nationwide by the absolute majority of the valid votes (excludes null votes and blank votes). If no candidate obtains such majority, a runoff election is held between the top two vote getters. Before 1989, the president was confirmed by Congress if elected by a simple majority.

Each legally operating political party may present one of its members as candidate. Independent candidates are required to gain the support of a number of independent electors prior to registering their candidacy. The number of signatures needed is equal to at least 0.5% of the number of people who last voted in the Chamber of Deputies election, nation-wide. For the 2009 election, the number was 36,037 signatures.

According to the Constitution, presidential elections take place on the third Sunday of November of the year before the incumbent president's term expires. A runoff election —if necessary— takes place on the fourth Sunday following the election. The president is sworn in on the day the incumbent president's term expires. Since 1990 that day has been March 11.

Before 2011 presidential elections took place 90 days before the incumbent president's term expired. If that day was not a Sunday, the election was moved to the next Sunday. A runoff election —if necessary— took place 30 days after the first election. The Sunday rule was also observed. Since 1990 the president has taken office on March 11; thus, elections took place on or after December 11 of the previous year.

Elections were last held on 13 December 2009, and are next scheduled to take place on 17 November 2013.