These elections are unique in that they are the first of their kind with mandatory voting in a long time, which means the addition of approximately five million new voters.
According to the Center for Public Studies (CEP), many of these voters lack a defined political identity and represent a broader, more diverse, and, at the same time, more unpredictable electorate.
The ban on opinion polls went into effect on November 1, meaning that from that moment until November 16, election day, no new polls can be published, under penalty of a fine.
In general, most of the polls released before the ban placed Jeannette Jara, of the governing coalition plus the Christian Democrats, in first place; followed by Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party (far right), but neither is expected to win in the first round.
These polls also showed an increase in support for Johannes Kaiser of the far-right National Libertarian Party, even placing him ahead of the traditional right-wing candidate, Evelyn Matthei.
