Vote Counting Begins in Pivotal Argentina Presidential Election

Polls in Argentina have closed as voters choose the country’s next president amid spiraling inflation, a plunging currency and with the economy facing its sixth recession in a decade. Definitive results are expected after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday.

(Bloomberg) — Polls in Argentina have closed as voters choose the country’s next president amid spiraling inflation, a plunging currency and with the economy facing its sixth recession in a decade. Definitive results are expected after 10 p.m. local time on Sunday.

Voters are choosing between three main candidates: Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who represents the governing Peronist coalition; pro-market opposition leader Patricia Bullrich; and outsider candidate Javier Milei, who won the August primary vote on a promise to dollarize the economy and scrap the central bank and is seen as the frontrunner.

In order to win outright, a candidate must receive 45% or votes or at least 40% with a 10 percentage point difference from the second place finish. If neither threshold is met, the top two candidates Sunday night will meet in a runoff vote on Nov. 19 to determine the winner.

As of 6 p.m. in Buenos Aires, 74% of eligible voters had cast their ballots. Turnout for the August primary vote was 66%.

Click here for results: Argentina Presidential Election Live Results 2023

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