'Over 27 million eligible to vote' - Peru distributes materials for landmark election with dozens of presidential candidates, parties on ballot

"The National Office of Electoral Processes of Peru (ONPE) has begun distributing electoral materials on Wednesday under tight security, ahead of the general elections on April 12. The elections will be unique due to the high number of candidates and large ballot paper needed to accommodate them all. Footage shows ONPE workers unloading electoral packages from a lorry at government offices in Arequipa, which will be used in the elections. According to Pablo Hartill Montalvo, Deputy Manager of Documentation and Electoral Research at the National Office of Electoral Processes in Lima, Peru, the electoral body is responsible for producing and distributing material to 10,000 polling stations, with over 92,000 polling tables that will be used by more than 27 million Peruvians eligible to vote. "More than 27 million Peruvians are eligible to vote, of which around 26 million reside in the country and more than one million abroad," added the deputy manager. Hartill Montalvo also explained that the material, produced in Lima, is sent across the entire territory through a staggered logistical chain monitored through satellite tracking, as part of the security mechanisms implemented to guarantee the integrity of the process. "We have technology that allows us to see in real time how our material is moving from our warehouses to the decentralised offices," noted Hartill Montalvo. Each electoral kit contains ballot papers, tally sheets, envelopes and the necessary supplies for the three key stages of the day: polling station setup, voting and counting. However, these elections present an additional challenge, as voters will be electing a bicameral congress, a Senate and a Chamber of Deputies, with 37 political organisations and 35 presidential candidates taking part, all represented on the same ballot paper measuring more than 40 centimetres. "That means an average Peruvian could mark up to 12 selections on a ballot measuring 44 centimetres high by 42 centimetres wide," added the deputy manager. Electoral authorities stated that the process will include transparency mechanisms, including the publication of results in real time and the presence of electoral observation missions."

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