CNE registers 9,340 principal candidates for sectional elections

Ecuador's National Electoral Council (CNE) has officially registered 9,340 principal candidates vying for positions in the upcoming sectional elections slated for November 29, 2026. The deadline for candidate inscriptions is Monday, August 17, 2026, marking the culmination of a registration phase that began on August 2.

The diverse slate of candidates will compete for various local government roles, including mayors, prefects, and municipal council members. As of Saturday, August 15, the CNE reported the registration of 671 mayoral candidates, 75 for prefects and vice-prefects, 772 for rural council members, 1,365 for urban council members, 431 for council members by constituency, and a substantial 6,026 for rural parish council members.

For positions requiring multiple representatives, such as council members and rural parish council members, an equal number of substitute candidates have also been registered. This brings the total number of registered candidates nationwide to 17,934. Candidates' inscriptions are considered official only after the CNE issues a formal resolution qualifying them, as stipulated by Article 93 of the Organic Law of Electoral Regimes and Political Organizations.

Among the registered candidates are several prominent political figures. Jorge Yunda, the former mayor of Quito, has officially registered his candidacy for the same position, backed by the Avanza party. Galo Lara, a former governor and assembly member from Los Ríos, is running for Mayor of Quevedo under the ruling Acción Democrática Nacional (ADN) party. Additionally, Andrés Roche has registered to run for Mayor of Guayaquil under the Partido Social Cristiano (PSC), while Fiorella Ycaza, wife of Aquiles Alvarez, is running for the same office with the Partido Socialista Ecuatoriano (PSE), which also supports the correísta movement Revolución Ciudadana. Cynthia Viteri, a former assembly member and mayor of Guayaquil, had previously registered with ADN.