Following the March 2026 congressional elections that solidified key candidacies, Colombia's National Civil Registry has drawn the order of 14 presidential candidates on the ballot for the May 31 first-round vote. Iván Cepeda leads in position 1, Abelardo de la Espriella in 5, and Paloma Valencia in 12.
The presidential ballot draw took place at Bogotá's Centro de Convenciones Ágora, supervised by the European Union, MOE Colombia, control bodies, international auditors, and party delegates. The National Civil Registry assigned positions for the 14 candidates and their vice-presidential running mates in the election to succeed Gustavo Petro. Key placements include: Iván Cepeda and Aída Quilcué (Pacto Histórico) in slot 1; Abelardo de la Espriella and José Manuel Restrepo (Defensores de la Patria) in 5; Paloma Valencia and Juan Daniel Oviedo (Centro Democrático) in 12; Claudia López and Leonardo Huerta (Con Claudia Imparables) in 3; Sergio Fajardo and Edna Bonilla (Dignidad & Compromiso) in 13; and Roy Barreras and Martha Lucía Zamora (La Fuerza) in 9.
National Registrar Hernán Penagos noted that the ballot design, featuring photos, names, and logos, was tested in focus groups to facilitate voting. Experts agree that position can aid voter recall, particularly for undecideds, though it does not dictate outcomes. Pacto Histórico's Mauro Sánchez highlighted slot 1's benefit for Cepeda's visibility and error reduction. Salvación Nacional's Ana María Rincón emphasized De la Espriella's reliance on recognition over position. Centro Democrático's Tatiana Méndez stressed Valencia's leadership strengths. Analyst Juan Pablo Suárez Charry noted the marginal impact due to visual aids, contrasting with the March 8 legislative elections. Voters will select one option on the letter-sized ballot; multiple marks invalidate it.
