Voters in Ecuador headed to polls on Sunday, February 7, to vote for a new president and 137 members of the National Assembly. The country, which has an average voter turnout of 73% witnessed large voter turnout as elections are compulsory for all voters who are of age. Early results show that the country will be headed for a run-off in April as none of the candidates met the 40% required to take office.

How Ecuadorian Elections Work

To become the President of Ecuador, a candidate must obtain a minimum of 40% of valid votes which are cast through a ballot system. They must also be in the lead against the runner up by 10%. If no candidate meets this criterion in the first round of voting, the top two candidates face off against each other in the second round and the person with the most votes win. 

What’s Next for Ecuador

Up to 16 candidates ran for the number one position in the country. As the country heads to a runoff, Economist and former Central Bank Director, Andrés Arauz Galarza of the Union for Hope (UNES) coalition and former Governor Yaku Perez Guartambel of the Pachakutik party will compete. 

Former minister Guillermo Lasso Mendoza also put up a good fight In the first round but will not be facing off his main rival, Arauz. Experts suggest that Ecuadorian voters will lean towards social welfare this could mean victory for Arauz in the second round as his campaign has promised policies that will ease the livelihoods of Ecuadorians. 

The city of Cuenca in the Azuay province of Ecuador will soon vote in a referendum on whether to ban mining around the rivers that go through the city. Perez promises to end industrial mining. 

It remains to see what side of the left voters lean to on April 11.