President-elect of Chile facts for kids

Quick facts for kids President-elect of Chile
Incumbent José Antonio Kast since 14 December 2025
Style	His Excellency
Residence	In his own residence until inauguration day
Term length	Period between the certification of the final election results and the taking office as President of Chile.
Inaugural holder	Manuel Blanco Encalada
Formation	8 July 1826

The President-elect of Chile is the special name given to the person who has won the presidential election in Chile. This title is used during the time between when the election results are announced and when they officially start their job. The President-elect becomes the full President of Chile on March 11 of the year after the election.

The very first person to be called 'President of the Republic' in Chile was Manuel Blanco Encalada in 1826. The modern way of choosing presidents, through direct votes from citizens, was set up later.

How Chile Chooses Its President

The TRICEL proclaiming Sebastián Piñera as President-elect in 2010.

Chile's Constitution explains how the president is chosen. Citizens vote directly for their president, who serves for four years. To win, a candidate needs more than half of all the votes in the first round.

If no one gets more than half the votes, a second round of voting happens. This is called a 'runoff' election. Only the two candidates with the most votes from the first round compete again. The one who gets the most votes in this second round wins.

After the votes are counted, the Electoral Service of Chile (SERVEL) announces the results. However, the winner isn't officially the President-elect just yet. A special court, called the Election Certification Court (TRICEL), formally confirms the election. This confirmation happens within 15 days after the election. Once TRICEL makes its announcement, the winner is officially the President-elect.

What Happens During the Transition?

After being declared President-elect, there's an important period called the 'transition.' During this time, the outgoing president works closely with the new President-elect and their team. They have meetings and share important information about how the government runs.

This transition helps make sure that when the new president takes over, everything runs smoothly. It helps keep important government plans going without interruption. In Chile, this period lasts about three months. It ends on March 11, when the new president officially takes office. This happens in a special ceremony at the National Congress in Valparaíso.

Recent Presidents-Elect of Chile

Here is a list of the Presidents-elect in Chile since the country returned to democracy in 1990: