Colombia Presidential Vote Count Reaches 99.98 Percent

The National Civil Registry of Colombia reported that the presidential vote count for the first round has reached 99.98 percent ^[1].

This milestone marks the final stage of certifying the first-round results, a necessary step to validate the candidates who will compete in the upcoming runoff election. Any discrepancies found during this phase could impact the legitimacy of the transition to the final vote.

According to the registry, the process is advancing without novedades ^[1]. Registrador Hernán Penagos said the official results will be known in a couple of days ^[3].

Penagos said the process has moved from the initial pre-count conducted by jurors at polling stations to a more formal review. "This is another key moment of the elections, because the work of the jurors at the tables who performed the pre-count has passed and now it passes into the hands of the judges," Penagos said ^[5].

To ensure the accuracy of the tally, more than 6,000 judges and officials are currently serving on the counting commissions ^[3]. These officials are tasked with the final verification of the ballots to ensure the official tally coincides with the preliminary counts from the Sunday vote ^[2].

Once the certification is complete, the country will move toward the second round of the presidential election. That runoff is scheduled for June 21, 2024 ^[1].

Officials said that the current phase is critical for maintaining public trust in the electoral system. The transition from preliminary data to certified results allows the government to resolve any legal challenges before the final ballot is cast.