Presidential candidates Sergio Massa (Unión por la Patria, UxP) and Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza, LLA) cast their ballots near noon in Sunday’s presidential run-off. Both candidates voted amid a large police presence to ensure their safety due to the presence of dozens of journalists and supporters. 

Massa voted at 12:15 p.m. in a public school in Tigre, Buenos Aires province, the district he was mayor of between 2009 and 2013. The economy minister called these elections “a turning point” in Argentina’s history. After casting his vote, he urged Argentines to go throughout the day “thinking about the future with hope.”

Massa said that the elections will define Argentina’s “relationship with the rest of the world, and what the country will have in terms of values and democratic life.” He added that he would spend the afternoon talking with mayors and governors about how things went during the election. He estimated he would arrive at the UxP headquarters in Buenos Aires City around 5:30 p.m.

Milei voted at 12:40 p.m. in a building thats part of public university Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN), in Buenos Aires City. He arrived with his sister, Karina, and struggled to get into the building. He left swiftly after casting his vote.

“We are very calm; we gave it our best effort. Now, it’s time for the ballot boxes to speak.” He added that he would be going straight to LLA’s headquarters in the Libertador Hotel after voting.

Although the Electoral Court banned the media from going into the polling station, some journalists and cameramen still managed to get inside and film him while he cast his vote. He entered the building amidst dozens of supporters chanting “freedom, freedom” and “long live freedom, damn it.”

Security in the building where Milei voted was ordered by federal judge María Servini due to the chaotic situation that took place in the general elections in October. The area surrounding the polling desks was so full of people at the time the LLA candidate voted that other people weren’t able to cast their ballots at that moment.

In October, the doors of the building were also closed while Milei voted, so nobody else could get in. They left two doors open this time, and police determined that only voters could enter in order to prevent overcrowding. 

They also reinforced security in the school where Milei’s girlfriend, Fátima Florez. In October, the school’s doors were closed while she voted, leaving other voters out.

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