On October 27, 2024, Uruguay celebrated the first round of their national electionsa crucial event for democracy in the country. On this day, 2,727,120 Uruguayans are authorized to exercise their right to vote, electing the president, vice presidentas well as the representatives of both houses of parliament. There will also be a vote on the formation of the departmental electoral boards and two plebiscites.
From 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., citizens can cast their vote in the 7,276 available circuits. To guarantee active participation, the authorities have established fines for those who do not pay. According to the latest reported data, When the polls close, more than 88% of eligible voters had already cast their vote across the country, indicating significant interest in the electoral process.
Consequences of non-attendance at voting
The electoral regulations in Uruguay detail that those who choose not to vote will face two possible consequences: the payment of a fine or the justification of their absence. The accepted justifications include reasons of illness, disability, physical impossibility, residing abroad during election day or causes of force majeure, as indicated by the Electoral Court.
The period to present these justifications is 30 days after the election, covering from October 29 to November 29. In the event that a second electoral round is necessary, the same period will be applied for the justification of not casting the vote, extending from November 26 to December 26, thus guaranteeing that all citizens have the opportunity to argue their absence.
Expectations about results and their dissemination
The projection of the results of these elections is anticipated with great expectations. The Electoral Court has established that the preliminary results will not be made public until after 8:30 p.m., due to a ban that prohibits the disclosure of exit polls before that time. As the circuits finish their counting, the results will begin to be published, although it is estimated that clear trends will not be known until around 10:00 p.m.
Informed sources within the Electoral Court have indicated that, by that time, a considerable percentage of results from the voting tables will have been received, providing more reliable figures that guide the possible final results, which is of great interest to citizens. and political analysts.
