The electoral body validated the results of the presidential runoff and highlighted the transparency of the process
In this line, the Registry highlighted that the differences between the initial preliminary count and the final count were minimal, reinforcing the legitimacy of the process. Additionally, it described the mechanism for consolidating and disseminating the results as an unprecedented event.
The National Civil Registry confirmed that, following the completion of the official counting carried out by judges of the Republic throughout Colombian territory, the results of the preliminary count corresponding to the presidential runoff held on Sunday, June 21, 2026, were ratified.
According to the data released, the right-wing candidate Abelardo de la Espriella achieved a total of 12,959,542 votes, surpassing the 12,708,712 votes obtained by the communist Iván Cepeda. These numbers consolidate the lawyer and representative of the Defenders of the Homeland movement as the winner of the electoral process.
Despite President Gustavo Petro disregarding the initial results, the electoral body emphasized the consistency between the preliminary results and the final count, highlighting the reliability of the system. In this regard, it noted that the preliminary count and the subsequent verification process showed high levels of accuracy.
“The National Civil Registry informs that once the first-level counting carried out by the judges of the Republic throughout the national territory is concluded, it is confirmed that the preliminary vote count had efficient levels of accuracy, which guarantees the efficiency and transparency of this tool as part of the Colombian electoral system,” the electoral body stated in its official communication.
The counting process was carried out by a broad institutional structure. According to the entity, nearly 9,000 people, including judges of the Republic and notaries, participated in 2,992 counting commissions distributed across the country, which allowed for the completion of the results review in the last hours.
“Nearly 9,000 people, including judges of the Republic and notaries in 2,992 counting commissions across the country, carried out this task that concluded in the last hours. Likewise, the entity highlights that this result shows that the modifications were minimal and that the process of consolidating and disseminating the results has been successful and unprecedented in the history of Colombia,” stated the Registry.
With the completion of the counting, the electoral body declared the electoral process concluded, highlighting the magnitude of the human and logistical deployment that ensured its development.
“In this way, we close a process in which more than a million Colombians participated, contributing with their efforts to guarantee integrity and transparency, alongside the Public Force and other control bodies and observation missions,” asserted the entity.
Thus, the electoral authority officially validated the preliminary results and reinforced the message about the transparency and institutional solidity of the Colombian electoral system.
