Peru Extends Presidential Election After Ballot Delivery Failures

Thousands unable to vote due to private contractor's failure to deliver materials to polling stations

Apr. 15, 2026 at 5:02am

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A quiet, cinematic painting of a solitary ballot box in a dimly lit polling station, the box's sharp edges and shadows conveying a sense of frustration and uncertainty surrounding the electoral process.The logistical failures that prevented thousands of Peruvian voters from casting their ballots on election day cast a somber shadow over the democratic process.Today in Orlando

Peru's National Office of Electoral Process (ONPE) extended the presidential and congressional elections into a second day after a private contractor failed to deliver ballots to dozens of polling stations across Lima, preventing more than 52,000 citizens from voting on time. The Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE), Peru's top electoral court, approved ONPE's request for an extraordinary voting session on Monday at 13 polling centers where voting materials were missing.

Why it matters

The failures raised concerns about whether Monday's voters could exercise their right to vote free from the influence of preliminary results, potentially violating the constitutional principle of unity of the electoral act. The situation also highlighted ongoing political instability in Peru, which has had nine presidents in the last decade.

The details

The private company contracted to transport electoral materials, Servicios Generales Galaga, attributed the delays to factors outside its control, but ONPE head Piero Corvetto said the agency would pursue legal and criminal action against the company. Peru's Public Ministry and National Police raided ONPE's headquarters on Sunday to investigate the delays, and the JNE filed a criminal complaint against Corvetto and other ONPE officials, as well as Galaga's legal representative.

  • The election took place on Sunday, April 13, 2026.
  • ONPE extended voting into a second day on Monday, April 14, 2026.

The players

Piero Corvetto

Head of Peru's National Office of Electoral Process (ONPE).

Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE)

Peru's top electoral court that approved ONPE's request for an extraordinary voting session.

Servicios Generales Galaga

The private company contracted to transport electoral materials to polling sites in southern Lima.

Keiko Fujimori

Fuerza Popular party candidate leading in early exit polls with roughly 16.5 percent of the vote.

Roberto Burneo

President of the Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE).

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What they’re saying

“We must pursue legal and criminal action against the company responsible for these failures.”

— Piero Corvetto, Head of ONPE

“The transport service was carried out according to schedules provided by ONPE, and factors outside our control caused the delays.”

— Servicios Generales Galaga

What’s next

The JNE has ordered that no election results, exit polls, or quick counts be published until all voting has concluded. Peru's Congressional Oversight Committee has summoned ONPE head Piero Corvetto and JNE President Roberto Burneo to testify on Monday.

The takeaway

This election failure highlights the ongoing political instability in Peru and raises concerns about the integrity of the electoral process. It underscores the importance of reliable logistics and infrastructure to ensure all eligible voters can exercise their democratic rights.