This weekend, on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, the Elections Regional and Municipal 2024 in Chile. In this process, millions of citizens will have to go to the polls to elect governors, councilors, mayors and councilors in various regions of the country. As voting is mandatory, it is crucial that voters are prepared to fulfill this civic duty, as those who do not show up to vote will face financial penalties.
Chilean legislation establishes that voting in elections is mandatory. This means that those citizens authorized to vote and who do not attend without a valid justification will be subject to fines. The objective of this measure is to ensure broad and representative participation in the electoral process, promoting citizen responsibility. The authorities have recalled the importance of participating in these elections, not only because of the sanctions, but because of the impact it has on democracy.
Regarding sanctions, the fine By not voting in the 2024 Elections you can reach up to 0.5 Monthly Tax Units (UTM), which is equivalent to approximately $33,280 Chilean pesos. This sanction applies to those who do not go to vote without a valid justification and will be evaluated by a local judge after the electoral process. However, there are exceptions that allow non-attendance to be justified, and it is important that voters know what these situations are to avoid possible sanctions.
In addition to the fines For not voting, those designated as polling station members also face sanctions if they do not fulfill their responsibility. The Electoral Service (Servel) has already published the final list of members, and those who do not appear at their polling stations without a valid excuse may be fined. The sanctions for members who do not attend vary, and the process to justify the absence follows a different path than that for voters.
There are exceptional situations that allow absence from the polls to be justified, such as illnesses that prevent travel, being outside the country, or being more than 200 kilometers from the voting location. Other serious circumstances may also be justified that make participation in the events impossible. elections. It is important that those who need to take advantage of these exceptions present the necessary documentation before a local judge after the elections.
