Bolivia's Presidential Race: A Tight Contest Ahead

Early exit polls from Bolivia's presidential race indicate centrist Senator Rodrigo Paz leading with 31.3% of the vote, closely followed by former President Jorge Quiroga at 27.3%. If no candidate secures a decisive lead, a runoff is scheduled for October 19.

In Bolivia's closely watched presidential election, early exit polls have placed centrist Senator Rodrigo Paz of the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) in the lead, capturing 31.3% of the votes, according to Unitel TV.

Trailing behind is conservative former President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga from the Alianza Libre coalition, with 27.3% of the vote. The close race between Paz and Quiroga makes a second round likely.

As election rules dictate, a runoff will take place on October 19 if no candidate surpasses 40% of the vote with at least a 10 percentage point lead.