Peru Likely Heads to 14 Regional Runoffs on 29 November

Peru’s regional elections are far from settled. An exit poll sees 14 governor races heading to a second round, while Lima’s mayor race stays open as counting continues.

What the Exit Poll Shows

Peru voted on Sunday 4 October 2026 for regional governors, mayors and councils for the 2027 to 2030 term. More than 26 million citizens were registered to vote, according to ONPE figures cited by Infobae Perú.

The firm Datum published an exit poll (a survey of voters leaving polling places). It points to 14 regions where no governor ticket reaches 30% of valid votes: Amazonas, Áncash, Arequipa, Huancavelica, Ica, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima Provincias, Loreto, Moquegua, Piura, Puno, Tumbes and Ucayali. Several races look tight. In Huancavelica, the poll had Juan Común at 29.5% and Samuel Morán at 29.3%. In Arequipa, it had Alfredo Zegarra at 27.0% and Jenry Huisa at 15.3%. ONPE had asked the court to keep 6 December for any runoff, but the court set 29 November.

File photo: Lima’s coast. (The Rio Times archive)

Why Exit Polls Are Not Results

An exit poll estimates; it does not count. The official count by ONPE was still partial on Monday, and early counts often come from urban areas first. Rural results arrive later and can change the order. Treat the list of 14 regions as a first picture, not a final one.

The rule is simple. A governor ticket wins in the first round with at least 30% of valid votes, which exclude blank and null ballots. If no ticket does, the top two meet in a Second Regional Election. The electoral court (JNE) set Sunday 29 November 2026 for that vote.

Lima’s Mayor Race

Lima’s mayor is decided in one round. At 23.566% of tally sheets counted, the Renovación Popular list headed by Rafael López Aliaga had 28.927% of valid votes, or 382,429 votes, according to Infobae Perú. Francis Allison of Avanza País was second, and the gap moved as the count advanced.

The Datum exit poll gave López Aliaga 31.2% and Allison 25.2%. A legal question hangs over the result. López Aliaga was mayor from 2023 to 2026, and Peru’s constitution bars immediate re-election of mayors. He ran as first councillor (regidor) on the list, and he would become mayor if the list wins. He argues the ban does not apply. The Lima Centro electoral jury will proclaim results, and the national court (JNE) can rule on appeals, according to Infobae Perú. Daniel Urresti of Podemos Perú has questioned a proclamation. The final winner is not confirmed.

What This Means for Expats

Local paperwork. A region without a confirmed governor may keep its current officials in place for a few weeks. Ask your municipality or regional office about timing before relying on a particular decision.

Travel. The vote does not change entry rules or tourist sites. Check regional notices for any second-round restrictions, such as alcohol sales limits, if a runoff is confirmed.

The other direction. A clear leader in a region can settle matters within days. A split field means a campaign until late November. In both cases, the local effect on daily life is usually slower than the headlines suggest.

What Is Not Yet Known

We do not know the final shares, which regions will really go to a second round, or how many tally sheets will be contested. The JNE’s deadline for delivering contested sheets is Sunday 11 October. Recount hearings may run until Wednesday 28 October.

More on Peru: Peru hub. Related coverage: today’s LatAm Expat & Nomad Daily Guide, Peru Regions Face 29 November Runoff Under 30% Rule and Peru Votes Sunday in Regional and Lima Elections.