Skipping the Ballot in Peru? That'll Cost You — And More Than Just Money
The Short Answer
In Peru, voting is legally mandatory for all citizens aged 18–70. Those who skip an election without a valid justification face monetary fines and loss of access to key public services — but the exemptions go well beyond just medical excuses.
The Full Story
Peru has required its citizens to vote since 1933, making it one of the longest-running compulsory voting systems in the world. The obligation is anchored in both the Constitution (Article 31) and the Organic Law of Elections (Ley No. 26859, Art. 9). The rationale is rooted in Latin American democratic theory: that electoral legitimacy depends on mass participation, and that voluntary systems tend to favour wealthier, better-educated voters — entrenching inequality.
The penalty system is deliberately progressive. Fines are calculated as a percentage of the UIT (Peru's reference tax unit, set at S/5,500 in 2026): voters in non-poor districts pay 2% (S/110), those in moderately poor districts pay 1% (S/55), and residents of extreme-poverty districts pay even less — recognising that flat fines would be regressive. In 2006, a major reform introduced this tiered structure after a uniform fine had been criticised for burdening the poor disproportionately.
But the consequences don't stop at the fine. Unpaid electoral fines trigger a cascade of civil and administrative restrictions: citizens cannot renew their national ID (DNI), perform notarial acts, open bank accounts, enrol in social programs, obtain a driver's licence, leave the country, marry, divorce, or become a public official. The JNE can also pursue coercive debt collection, including bank account freezes.
The claim that only a 'medical excuse' exempts voters is a common oversimplification. The JNE's Reglamento de Justificación y Dispensa Electoral (Resolution No. 0987-2021-JNE) lists a wide range of valid justifications: illness or hospitalisation, being abroad, natural or human-caused disasters, physical/mental/sensory disability, incarceration, and certain election-related functions. High-risk health groups (those over 65 or with serious chronic conditions) can even apply for waivers free of charge. Research published in academic journals has studied Peru's system as a case study in how fine size affects turnout — finding even modest fine increases push participation up by about 0.5 percentage points per 10 soles increase.
Common Misconceptions
The claim states that only a 'valid medical excuse' exempts a Peruvian citizen from the voting obligation. This is too narrow. The JNE's official Reglamento de Justificación y Dispensa Electoral recognises a broad range of valid justifications: illness or hospitalisation, travel abroad, natural disasters, physical/mental/sensory disability, imprisonment, and other causes. Additionally, citizens over 70 are fully exempt without needing any excuse. Members of the armed forces and national police on active duty on election day are also exempt from fines. Another misconception is that penalties are only fines — in fact, unpaid fines trigger wide-ranging civil restrictions including inability to renew ID documents, perform notarial acts, access social programs, or leave the country.
Actual Legal Text
Article 9 of Ley Orgánica de Elecciones No. 26859 states: 'Peruvian citizens with active civil rights are obligated to vote. For those over seventy (70) years of age, voting is voluntary. Citizens are Peruvians over eighteen years of age.' The Peruvian Constitution (Article 31) reinforces voting as both a right and a civic duty. Fines for abstention (omisión al sufragio) are set as a percentage of the Unidad Impositiva Tributaria (UIT) and tiered by the poverty classification of the voter's registered district. Citizens may apply for a 'dispensa electoral' (electoral waiver) from the JNE if they have a documented justification, which includes illness/hospitalization, travel abroad, natural disasters, physical/mental disability, imprisonment, or other causes established in the Reglamento de Justificación y Dispensa Electoral.
Current Status
Actively Enforced
Penalty
Monetary fine (omisión al sufragio) tiered by district poverty level: S/110 (approx. USD 29) in non-poor districts; S/55 (approx. USD 14.50) in moderately poor districts; lower amounts in extreme-poverty districts. All based on 2% / 1% of Peru's UIT (S/5,500 in 2026). Additional fine of S/275 if also selected as a polling table member and fails to appear. Unpaid fines trigger civil and administrative restrictions including inability to renew DNI, perform notarial acts, enrol in social programs, obtain a driver's licence, leave the country, marry/divorce, or become a public official. The JNE may also pursue coercive collection including bank account freezes.
Fine: PEN28 – PEN110
Last Verified
March 28, 2026
Enacted
January 1, 1933
Jurisdiction Notes
National law — applies to all Peruvian citizens aged 18–70 registered on the national electoral roll (padrón electoral) maintained by RENIEC, regardless of region. Citizens registered at an overseas address are exempt from the voting fine.