Pataz district elections annulled due to high voter absenteeism

The Special Electoral Jury (JEE) of Pataz has declared the district elections null following the October 4 voting day. The decision, issued via Resolution N° 00609-2026-JEE-PTAZ/JNE, was made because voter turnout failed to reach the required 50% threshold of the eligible electorate.

According to data from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), 3,314 people cast their votes out of 6,978 eligible voters, resulting in an absenteeism rate of 52.508%. The initial vote count had placed José Torrealva Yparraguirre of Podemos Perú as the winner with 67.59% of the votes, ahead of Miguel Mantilla Rodríguez of Alianza para el Progreso, who received 32.41%.

The JEE acted 'ex officio' to declare the nullity, as a request for annulment from Alianza para el Progreso was submitted outside the legal timeframe. The decision now awaits review by the National Jury of Elections (JNE), which will determine whether to confirm or revoke the ruling. If confirmed, complementary elections will be called, potentially occurring as early as July 2027 or within a three-month window depending on the final legal proceedings. This ruling specifically affects the district of Pataz and does not impact provincial or regional results in La Libertad.