▁( P CP ) ▁candidate ▁José ▁Bon acci ; ▁neither ▁had ▁reached ▁the ▁requ is ite ▁ 1 . 5 % ▁threshold ▁needed ▁to ▁advance ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁ ▁The ▁candidate ▁for ▁the ▁Work ers ' ▁Left ▁Front ▁( F IT ), ▁Jorge ▁Alt am ira , ▁f ared ▁unexpected ly ▁well ▁and ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁election . ▁Alt am ira ▁pol led ▁best ▁among ▁the ▁poor ▁( 7 . 9 %) ▁and ▁among ▁the ▁upper ▁middle ▁class ▁( 5 . 4 %). ▁ ▁Primary ▁elections , ▁ 1 4 ▁August ▁Open ▁primary ▁elections ▁for ▁the ▁Pres iden cy ▁were ▁held ▁nation wide ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁August . ▁ ▁With ▁this ▁system , ▁all ▁parties ▁run ▁primary ▁elections ▁in ▁a ▁same ▁general ▁elections . ▁All ▁parties ▁must ▁take ▁part ▁in ▁it , ▁both ▁the ▁parties ▁with ▁internal ▁fa ctions ▁and ▁parties ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁candidate ▁list . ▁Cit iz ens ▁may ▁vote ▁for ▁any ▁candidate ▁of ▁any ▁party , ▁but ▁may ▁only ▁cast ▁a ▁single ▁vote . ▁The ▁most ▁voted ▁candidate ▁of ▁parties ▁gain ing ▁ 1 . 5 % ▁or ▁higher ▁of ▁the ▁valid ▁votes ▁will ▁be ▁allowed ▁to ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁elections . ▁ ▁General ▁elections , ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ ▁President ial ▁ ▁The ▁president ▁and ▁vice - pres ident ▁were ▁chosen ▁directly ▁in ▁a ▁two - round ▁system ▁election . ▁C andid ates ▁who ▁obtained ▁less ▁than ▁ 1 . 5 % ▁during ▁the ▁pre lim inary ▁round ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁August