Key Facts
- What: Peru holds regional runoffs on Sunday, 6 December 2026, wherever no governor ticket won 30% of valid votes on 4 October.
- Scale: The electoral office ONPE projects 15 regions and about 12.4 million voters; the list can still change.
- Why it moved: The vote slipped from 29 November after ONPE asked for more planning time.
- Next step: The electoral court JNE will ask President Keiko Fujimori to issue the formal call.
Peru’s regional governors are not yet chosen in 15 regions, and voters will go back to the polls on Sunday, 6 December 2026. Our Peru regional runoff 2026 hub follows every step, from the call to the count.
This story is part of our coverage of the Peru regional runoff 2026. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
The date was fixed by the National Elections Jury (JNE), Peru’s electoral court, in an agreement of 7 October 2026. Voters in the 4 October first round picked governors, mayors and councillors, but many governor races ended without a clear winner.
Why Some Regions Vote Again
A governor and vice-governor ticket must win at least 30% of the valid votes to be elected outright. Valid votes are ballots marked for a candidate, so blank and spoiled ballots do not count.
Where no ticket reaches that bar, the two tickets with the most votes meet in a runoff. The official name is the Second Regional Election, known by its Spanish initials SER 2026.
Why the Date Moved
The JNE first pointed to 29 November. ONPE, the National Office of Electoral Processes, which runs the voting, asked the court to reconsider because the earlier date left too little time to plan.
The court then set 6 December. It expects more regions to need a runoff than in past elections, which adds logistics, and it will ask the president to sign the formal call.
Which Regions Could Vote
ONPE’s operating plan, approved on 14 October, projects 15 regions and about 12.4 million voters. The projected regions are Amazonas, Áncash, Arequipa, Cajamarca, Junín, La Libertad, Lambayeque, Lima Provincias, Loreto, Moquegua, Pasco, Piura, Puno, Tacna and Tumbes.
Lima Provincias is the part of Lima region outside the capital city. The final list depends on the official count and on disputed tally sheets still being resolved, so ONPE says the numbers may change.
Each polling table produces a signed tally sheet, called an acta in Spanish. Sheets with errors are marked as observed and sent to the court for a decision, which can delay the final count.
What the Vote Decides
Governors run Peru’s regions: they manage regional budgets, public works and health and education services. A governor’s relations with Lima, the capital, often shape how fast projects move.
Many of the projected regions are mining country. Arequipa, Moquegua, Tacna, Áncash, Cajamarca and Junín host large copper and gold operations, and Peru is one of the world’s biggest copper producers.
What It Means for US Readers
For investors, the runoffs matter less for national policy than for local permits, roads and water disputes around mines. Companies such as Southern Copper, a major US-listed copper miner with large Peruvian projects, deal with regional authorities as well as national ministries.
Peru is also watching prices at home, where consumer prices are a live issue. A new round of campaigning in the regions will keep local spending promises in the news until 6 December.
What Is Not Known
The final list of runoff regions is not yet confirmed, because the count is not closed. Official voting hours for 6 December have not been published in the sources we reviewed, and no regional runoff polls have surfaced.
The calendar for table-member lists, training and the handling of disputed tally sheets also awaits official confirmation.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are Peru’s regional runoffs?
They are set for Sunday, 6 December 2026, replacing the earlier 29 November date. The electoral court JNE fixed the date in an agreement of 7 October.
Which regions will vote?
ONPE projects 15 regions, from Amazonas to Tumbes, and about 12.4 million voters. The list may change until the official count ends.
Why is a runoff needed?
A governor ticket needs at least 30% of valid votes to win in the first round. Where none does, the top two tickets face each other.
Who organises the vote?
ONPE organises and counts the vote, and the JNE sets the date and rules on disputes. The president issues the formal call.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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