Lima (AFP) - The electoral authorities of Peru had to resort to a coin so that luck would define the election of the mayor of a remote Andean town on Wednesday after a tie of votes was recorded in the municipal elections.

First modification: 11/05/2026 - 16:21

The curious situation occurred in Conima, a district in the Puno region, bordering Bolivia, where chance favored the candidate Rubén Quispe of the Somos Perú party, reported the Special Electoral Jury of Huancané.

The elected mayor competed with Salomino Mamani, from the Country for All party, with whom he had tied in votes at 100% of the tally sheets of the elections held on October 4. Each one obtained 671 votes, according to authorities.

"My goal was always to win, it has already been said by the Lord (God), now we are going to work for my people," Quispe told the press.

Peruvian law establishes that in cases of a tie in elections, the winner is determined by drawing lots. Participants can choose a coin or balls.

An official from the Electoral Jury was in charge of tossing the one-sol coin into the air. The winner had chosen the reverse.

Conima is a small municipality with 3,500 inhabitants, near Lake Titicaca, at 3,860 meters above sea level.

© 2026 AFP

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