Argentina Keeps Electoral Silence Before Presidential Elections

On Friday, Argentina entered a quiet period ahead of the Sunday elections in which 35.4 million citizens will choose their next president, lawmakers, and provincial authorities.

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Starting from 8:00 a.m. this Friday and continuing until 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, campaign activities, party advertising, and the distribution of political propaganda is prohibited within an 80-meter radius around polling centers.

Furthermore, the celebration of outdoor and indoor events and public gatherings, as well as the sale of alcoholic beverages, are suspended from 8:00 p.m. on Saturday.

In addition to the Argentine president and vice president of the nation, citizens will elect 130 lawmakers, 24 national senators, along with 19 Mercosur parliamentarians.

Alongside this, there will be general elections for positions in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Catamarca, Entre Rios, and the Buenos Aires City, which decided not to separate their elections from the national ones, unlike the rest of the districts.

On Sunday night, electoral authorities will provide a provisional vote count. However, the final results will only be released 48 hours after the elections conclude.

The leading presidential candidates are the far-right "Freedom Advances" Javier Milei, who received the most votes in the August primaries; the current Economy Minister Sergio Masa, who represents the Peronist coalition "Union for the Homeland", and the leader of the center-right Together for Change, Patricia Bullrich.

Additionally, there is Cordova Governor Juan Schiaretti, who represents "We Do It for Our Country," and Myriam Bregman from the Left and Workers' Front.

Argentinians will go to a runoff on Nov. 19 if none of the candidates secures 45 percent of the votes or at least 40 percent with a 10-point lead over the next most-voted politician. The new Argentine president will assume office on December 10 and serve during the 2023-2027 term.