Four pollsters are authorized to conduct exit polls in the second round

The National Electoral Council (CNE)of Ecuador has authorized four major pollsters to conduct the exit poll during the second electoral round, which will be held on April 13, 2025. This is a crucial process in collecting immediate data on voters' preferences after they cast their votes. The authorized companies are Cedatos, Centro Invest, Corpmontpubli, and Telcodata. The latter received authorization on Monday, March 31, 2025, in a CNE plenary session.

Exit polls have specific regulations, and according to CNE's provisions, the results can only be published starting at 5:00 PM on the same day, April 13, once voting closes and the counting process begins. This is done to avoid influencing citizens' votes before they have completed their electoral participation.

In addition to the four pollsters authorized to conduct the exit poll, nine other entities will be able to disseminate electoral forecasts up to 10 days before the election, meaning their results can be shared until this Thursday. Among these entities are Ipsos, Cedatos, Click Research, Pedro Cango, and Álvaro Marchante.

The CNE has also established strict measures against those who do not comply with the regulations. In this regard, media outlets that release results before the permitted time will face fines of up to 25 basic salaries and suspension of advertising. Pollsters that violate the rules will face even harsher penalties, with fines ranging from 50 to 200 basic salaries and suspension of their activities for six months.

Meanwhile, the CNE has decided not to conduct a quick count in this second round, unlike what happened in the first round when candidates Daniel Noboa and Luisa González ended in a tie. According to current forecasts, the voting intention remains similar to that of the first round, which adds a component of uncertainty and expectation for voters and political analysts ahead of the runoff.

The CNE's authorization for pollsters to conduct exit polls in the second electoral round underscores the importance of having accurate and reliable data after the polls close. At the same time, the strict regulations on the dissemination of results before the established time demonstrate the interest in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process. This runoff, between Daniel Noboa and Luisa González, maintains uncertainty about the country's political direction as voters prepare to decide Ecuador's future.