The National Jury of Elections (JNE) has requested a comprehensive IT audit of Peru's April 12 general election as the count remains at 97.5% and the first-round outcome is unresolved. Keiko Fujimori leads, while Roberto Sánchez and Rafael López Aliaga are separated by roughly 28,000 votes amid review of disputed tally sheets from over 1 million ballots. The JNE says the audit aims to bolster transparency and would not halt the ongoing review; final results are expected by May 15.
Peru Election Board Orders Full IT Audit as Vote Count Remains Unresolved
Demonstrators gather outside Peru's electoral headquarters amid concerns about the voting process during the country's general election, in Lima, Peru, April 14, 2026. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo
LIMA, May 2 — Peru's National Jury of Elections (JNE) on Saturday requested a "comprehensive and exhaustive IT audit" of the results from the April 12 general election as the count remains incomplete.
With 97.5% of ballots tallied, the outcome of the first round is still unclear. Conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori leads the field, but no confirmed challenger has yet emerged for a June run-off. Left-wing congressman Roberto Sánchez and ultra‑conservative Rafael López Aliaga remain locked in a tight contest for second place, separated by roughly 28,000 votes while disputed tally sheets from more than 1 million ballots are being examined.
The JNE said an independent IT audit would serve "as a concrete and decisive step to strengthen the transparency, integrity, and reliability of the election results." A JNE spokesperson told Reuters that any audit would not interrupt the ongoing review of contested ballots.
The April election and the prolonged count have generated confusion and allegations of fraud across the Andean nation. On April 21, Piero Corvetto, head of Peru's electoral authority, resigned amid mounting pressure for clarity. Corvetto acknowledged logistical delays in the process but denied irregularities, and European Union observers reported finding no evidence of fraud.
JNE officials have said final results are expected no later than May 15.
Reporting: Marco Aquino. Editing: Rod Nickel and Franklin Paul.
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