By Sarah Morland

SANTIAGO (Reuters) -Chileans will head to the ballot box on Sunday to elect a new president in a vote that is pitting the governing leftist coalition against an array of right-wing candidates at a time when crime and immigration are at the top of voters’ minds.

This will be Chile’s first presidential election since 2012 where voting will be mandatory – those who do not vote face a fine.

The country of some 16 million voters saw an abstention rate of 53% in the first round of its 2021 presidential election, and the large amount of apathetic or undecided residents set to cast ballots adds a wild card to Sunday’s vote.

None of the eight candidates in the running are expected to reach the majority needed to win outright, likely triggering a run-off election on December 14.

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