Almost 60% of Chileans unaware of what will be voted on at the polls – Ipsos survey

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – This weekend, over 14 million voters will have the chance to participate in one of the most important elections since the return to democracy in 1990, to elect mayors, councilors, governors and constituents of the constitutional convention.

A survey on Thursday, May 13, showed that 57% of the Chilean population is unclear on how many positions will be chosen in the major elections to be held on May 15 and 16, when they will vote for constituents to draft a new Constitution as well as for candidates to municipal and regional positions.

According to the survey conducted by Ipsos consulting firm, only 43% said they knew that during these elections they will vote for four public offices, a figure that among people under 35 years of age decreases to 31%. The remainder, 57%, were unclear as to how many positions will be elected. Of these, 32% stated that they were unaware of how many positions are being voted for, and 25% were wrong in their answer as to the number of positions to be voted on, according to the survey, which interviewed 600 Chileans in May 2021.

The overwhelming number of candidates – almost 17,000 in total – and the unprecedented nature of the elections, have created a climate of uncertainty in terms of results and participation. Alejandra Ojeda, manager of Public Studies at Ipsos Chile, commented that this is compounded by “a greater fragmentation in election coalitions, as a result of a more segmented political scenario” and the election of a new position, that of regional governor.

Meanwhile, 42% of the Chilean population stated that they are completely sure that they will vote in the upcoming elections, while 12% stated that they will not go to the polls. The percentage of participation, which has not exceeded 50% since voting ceased to be compulsory in 2012 – with the exception of last October’s plebiscite (50.9%) – is one of the great unknowns of these elections, held during the pandemic.

The constituent elections, made possible by last October’s referendum and the pressure of the massive social protests that began in 2019, will vote for the 155 drafters of the new Magna Carta, which will replace the current one promulgated during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).

A total of 16 governors will be elected in regional elections, along with mayors and councilors of the country’s 346 municipalities in the municipal elections.

Source: DW