Electoral Service
{{Short description|Agency overseeing elections in Chile}}
{{Politics of Chile}}
File:Edificio_del_Servicio_Electoral_de_Chile,_Santiago_20220626.jpg
The Electoral Service of Chile ({{langx|es|Servicio Electoral de Chile}}), better known by its acronym Servel, is an autonomous constitutional agency responsible for overseeing electoral processes in Chile. It administers national elections and referendums, supervises political party operations, ensures compliance with campaign finance regulations, and maintains the electoral register and party registry.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1082962&idVersion=2015-10-20|title=Ley 20860 : Reforma constitucional que otorga autonomía constitucional al Servicio Electoral|author=Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia|access-date=23 October 2015}}[http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=29951 Artículos 57 y 60 de la Ley 18556 orgánica constitucional sobre sistema de inscripciones electorales y servicio electoral] Servel is the highest administrative authority on electoral matters in the country.
Servel's legal framework is established by a constitutional organic law, and its internal organization, staffing, and operational regulations are defined by statute. The agency is headquartered in Santiago.
Servel began operating on 1 October 1986, as the legal successor to the Electoral Registry Directorate (Dirección del Registro Electoral). Judicial oversight of elections remains under the jurisdiction of the Election Certification Tribunal (Tribunal Calificador de Elecciones) and the Regional Electoral Tribunals. A constitutional reform in 2015 granted Servel full autonomy.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1082962&idVersion=2015-10-20|title=Ley 20860 : Reforma constitucional que otorga autonomía constitucional al Servicio Electoral|author=Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia|access-date=23 October 2015}} Until that year, Servel was overseen by the President of the Republic via the Ministry of the Interior.
History
File:Edificio_de_la_ex_Caja_de_Crédito_Hipotecario,_Santiago_20230521.jpg
The origins of Chile's electoral administration date back to 1925, with the creation of the Electoral Registry Conservator (Conservador del Registro Electoral) through Decree Law No. 343.{{cite web|access-date=18 March 2025 |archive-date=18 March 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250318202321/https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Un-siglo-fortaleciendo-la-democracia-en-Chile_VDigital.pdf |date=17 March 2025 |first=David |last=Home Valenzuela |title=Un siglo de historia fortaleciendo la democracia |url=https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Un-siglo-fortaleciendo-la-democracia-en-Chile_VDigital.pdf |website=Servicio Electoral de Chile}}{{cite web|access-date=16 March 2025 |date=15 March 1925 |page=20 |title=Texto de la nueva ley electoral dictada ayer |url=https://culturadigital.udp.cl/dev/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/re/LN_1925_03_15.pdf |work=La Nación}}{{cite web|access-date=8 October 2024 |author=Ministerio del Interior |date=17 March 1925 |title=Decreto Ley 343, sobre inscripciones electorales permanentes |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1049807 |website=LeyChile}}{{cite web|access-date=3 March 2014 |author=Servicio Electoral de Chile |title=Historia |url=http://www.servel.cl/historia/}} The office began registering voters on 15 April 1925.{{cite web|access-date=29 December 2024 |date=15 April 1925 |page=13 |title=A las 12 M. de hoy comienzan las inscripciones electorales |url=https://culturadigital.udp.cl/dev/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/re/LN_1925_04_15.pdf |work=La Nación}} Decree Law No. 623, issued in October that year, defined the agency's initial staffing at six employees.{{cite book|access-date=18 February 2025 |author=Urzía Valenzuela, Germán |date=1970 |location=Santiago de Chile |page=141 |publisher=Editorial Jurídica de Chile |title=Evolución de la administración pública chilena (1818-1968) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iksPAAAAYAAJ}} Ramón Zañartu Eguiguren was appointed the first conservator.{{cite web|access-date=21 January 2025 |date=20 October 1925 |page=13 |title=Por La Moneda |url=https://culturadigital.udp.cl/dev/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/re/LN_1925_10_20.pdf |work=La Nación}}
Initially, the office compiled registration records from local boards. Its responsibilities later expanded to include cleaning and updating voter rolls, particularly after the passage of Law No. 4554 in 1929.{{cite web|access-date=29 December 2024 |author=Ministerio del Interior |date=12 February 1929 |title=Ley 4554, Inscripción Electoral Permanente |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?i=249691 |website=LeyChile}} The Electoral Registry Conservator was replaced by the Electoral Registry Directorate on 7 April 1931, under the terms of Decree with Force of Law No. 82, based on Law No. 4763.{{cite web|access-date=9 November 2024 |author=Ministerio del Interior de Chile |date=7 January 1930 |title=Ley 4763 |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?i=24894 |website=LeyChile}} The Directorate operated until 1986{{cite web|access-date=3 March 2014 |author=Ministerio del Interior de Chile |date=7 April 1931 |title=DFL 82, Sín título |url=http://bcn.cl/1hyr5 |work=LeyChile}} and was based in several locations over time, including offices in the National Congress building{{cite web|access-date=8 October 2024 |date=17 November 1954 |page=5 |title=Nuevo local tendrá la Dirección General del Registro Electoral |url=https://culturadigital.udp.cl/dev/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/LN_1954_11_17.pdf |work=La Nación}}{{cite web|access-date=8 October 2024 |date=13 January 1957 |page=5 |title=La experiencia de esta noche impone reforma de nuestro sistema electoral |url=https://culturadigital.udp.cl/dev/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/LN_1957_01_13.pdf |work=La Nación}} and, from 1957 to 1977, the former Mortgage Credit Fund building (now the headquarters of the Constitutional Court of Chile).{{cite web|access-date=27 December 2017 |author=Carmona Santander, Carlos |date=December 2016 |location=Santiago de Chile |publisher=Ediciones del Archivo Central Andrés Bello |title=Nuevo edificio del Tribunal Constitucional |url=http://www.libros.uchile.cl/files/presses/1/monographs/672/submission/proof/files/assets/common/downloads/37587%20Tapas%20TC%20OK.pdf}}{{cite web|access-date=8 October 2024 |author=García, Juan Ignacio |date=23 April 1986 |title=Situación de la Dirección del Registro Electoral |url=https://archivo.servel.cl/uploads/r/archivo-servicio-electoral/d/5/a/d5a4555cf8e5aa61d64be740de675a89c405572d0fbcfca937b71df71cd7db63/SFSER-SESE_I-01.pdf}}
Following the 1973 military coup, allegations of fraud in previous elections led to a loss of confidence in the electoral system. In July 1974, the existing electoral rolls were destroyed, resulting in the loss of voter data from before 1973.{{cite web|access-date=22 November 2023 |author=Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos |date=1974 |title=DERECHOS POLÍTICOS, "TREGUA POLÍTICA" Y DESTRUCCIÓN DEL REGISTRO CÍVICO |url=https://cidh.oas.org/countryrep/Chile74sp/cap.12.htm |website=Organización de Estados Americanos}}{{cite web|access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006205307/https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Libro_exdirector_del_Servel.pdf |author=Servicio Electoral de Chile |date=2017 |title=Un chileno que dedicó su vida a las elecciones |url=https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Libro_exdirector_del_Servel.pdf}}
Servel was formally established by Law No. 18.556, published on 1 October 1986.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=29951&idVersion=1986-10-01|title=Ley 18556 : Ley orgánica constitucional sobre sistema de inscripciones electorales y servicio electoral|author=Ministerio del Interior|access-date=12 November 2011}} It was housed at 611 Esmeralda Street in central Santiago,{{cite web|access-date=28 March 2022 |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006205307/https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Libro_exdirector_del_Servel.pdf |author=Servicio Electoral de Chile |date=2017 |title=Un chileno que dedicó su vida a las elecciones |url=https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Libro_exdirector_del_Servel.pdf}} in a 1934 Art Nouveau building designed by architects Fernando de la Cruz and Hernán Rojas Santa María.{{cite web|access-date=17 March 2025 |title=Edificio Servicio Electoral |url=https://patrimonio.bienes.cl/patrimonio/edificio-servicio-electoral/ |website=Patrimonio Urbano}} Originally occupying only part of the building, Servel expanded to occupy the entire premises in January 1987.
In 2012, Law No. 20.568 introduced automatic voter registration and voluntary voting, and created a new Governing Council to oversee Servel.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1035420&idVersion=2012-01-31|title=Ley 20568 : Regula la inscripción automática, modifica el Servicio Electoral y moderniza el sistema de votaciones|author=Ministerio del Interior|access-date=1 January 2012}} In 2015, Law No. 20.860 amended the Constitution to grant Servel full constitutional autonomy.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1082962&idVersion=2015-10-20|title=Ley 20860 : Reforma constitucional que otorga autonomía constitucional al Servicio Electoral|author=Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia|access-date=23 October 2015}}
In June 2018, Servel's Citizen Services Unit began developing a Historical Archive. The project identified documents dating from 1925 to 1973 and established the Juan Ignacio García Collection, composed of the personal archives of a former Servel director.{{cite web|access-date=22 January 2025 |author=Servicio Electoral de Chile |date=2019 |page=109 |title=Cuenta Pública 2018 |url=https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Cuenta_Pu_blica_20190603.pdf}} Additional electoral protocol documents were added to the collection in 2019.{{cite web|access-date=22 January 2025 |author=Servicio Electoral de Chile |date=2020 |page=44 |title=Memoria 2019 |url=https://www.servel.cl/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/CP2019_Servel.pdf}}
Organization
File:Audiencia_consejo_directivo_del_SERVEL_(16476424454).jpg in 2015]]
Since 2012, Servel has been governed by a Governing Council and a National Director. The Council is responsible for setting overall policy, while the Director handles day-to-day administration.{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1035420&idVersion=2012-01-31|title=Ley 20568 : Regula la inscripción automática, modifica el Servicio Electoral y moderniza el sistema de votaciones|author=Ministerio del Interior|access-date=1 January 2012}} Until 2015, Servel reported to the President of the Republic through the Ministry of the Interior.
The Governing Council consists of five members appointed by the President of the Republic, with the approval of two-thirds of the Senate. The President of the Council is designated by a majority vote of the Council for a four-year term. The President communicates the Council's decisions to the National Director, the Election Certification Tribunal, and the Regional Electoral Courts.{{cite web|access-date=18 February 2025 |title=Consejo Directivo |url=https://www.servel.cl/servel/consejo-directivo/ |website=Servicio Electoral de Chile}}
The National Director serves as the agency's legal representative and chief executive.
= Current Governing Council =
File:Dirección_General_Metropolitana_Servel,_Santiago_20230812.jpg
- Pamela Figueroa Rubio – President{{cite web|access-date=3 March 2025 |date=3 March 2025 |title=Pamela Figueroa se convierte en la primera mujer presidenta del Consejo Directivo del Servel |url=https://www.cnnchile.com/pais/pamela-figuroa-primera-mujer-presidenta-servel_20250303/ |website=CNN Chile}}
- Andrés Tagle Domínguez – Member
- María Cristina Escudero Illanes – Member
- David Huina Valenzuela – Member
- Alfredo Joignant Rondón – Member
= Internal structure =
The Electoral Service is administratively divided into three sub-directorates and territorially into 16 regional directorates:{{citation|url=http://www.leychile.cl/Navegar?idNorma=1107717&idVersion=2021-10-21|title=Ley 18556 : Ley Orgánica Constitucional de Inscripciones Electorales y Servicio Electoral|author=Ministerio Secretaría General de la Presidencia|access-date=21 August 2022}}
- Sub-directorate of Voter Registration, Enrollments, and Electoral Events
- Sub-directorate of Political Parties
- Sub-directorate of Campaign Spending and Electoral Financing Oversight
- Regional Directorates
Former authorities
= Presidents of the Governing Council =
= National Directors =
Until January 2012, the National Director held sole executive authority over Servel.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.servel.cl/ Servel's official website] (in Spanish)