The electoral board is already starting to move, and the governors don’t want to be left behind. While Congress debates the fate of the PASO primaries, most provincial governors have already defined their move: split local elections from national ones. The idea is clear: distance themselves from the noise of the Casa Rosada and secure their territorial power.
The first to set the pace was Osvaldo Jaldo, the Peronist closest to Javier Milei. The Tucumán governor called early elections for May, repeating the formula with Lieutenant Governor Miguel Acevedo. A tradition in the province, though with a spicy twist: former Interior Minister Lisandro Catalán is already touring Tucumán as a potential libertarian candidate, and polls show a competitive scenario.
On the opposite side, Ricardo Quintela, the most opposition-minded governor from La Rioja, leans toward unifying his election with the national one. The reason is simple: he wants to be a protagonist in the national contest, either as a candidate or as a spokesperson for the Peronist campaign. His bond with Axel Kicillof is solid since they tried to renew the National PJ, and he needs all of La Rioja’s Peronists rowing in the same direction. However, he has not yet defined who will succeed him, a delicate issue because the potential libertarian candidate is none other than the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem.
The former Juntos por el Cambio members are also making moves. They are considering holding their elections on the same date to create a ‘super Sunday electoral’ mid-year, a political blow to the ruling party. Even government allies, such as Mendoza’s Alfredo Cornejo, plan to advance the elections, although in his case, as in Santa Fe, Chaco, and Tierra del Fuego, the split is mandated by the provincial constitution. Córdoba’s Martín Llaryora is also betting on an early election, likely in June.
But the big unknown is Axel Kicillof. The Buenos Aires governor holds the frying pan by the handle: his decision could define the 2027 electoral map. For now, the provincial calendar is tied to what happens with the PASO at the national level. According to Buenos Aires legislation, provincial primaries must coincide with national ones if they remain in effect. Therefore, in La Plata, they await the outcome of the electoral reform before stirring the hornet’s nest.
Kicillof hasn’t decided what suits him best: arriving strengthened after a previous victory in Buenos Aires or betting on a large Peronist mobilization simultaneous with the national elections. What he does know is that mayors are key, which is why he pushes for indefinite re-election, though that clashes with the Kirchnerist faction. In a scenario where most provinces lean toward splitting, Buenos Aires’ decision could ultimately define the board.
Meanwhile, the national government cannot secure the votes to eliminate the PASO, although it could remove their mandatory nature and turn them into PAS (open, simultaneous, and optional primaries). Within Peronism, some do not rule out a pact: the ruling party would eliminate the primaries in exchange for not fielding libertarian candidates in the provinces of governors who support them. But for that, Interior Minister Diego Santilli would need to convince the government’s political table, which does not seem easy. Within LLA, several already envision themselves competing for provincial and local positions in 2027.
The election year promises to be a battlefield. With the Single Paper Ballot in national elections, several districts will have to coexist with different voting systems if they unify elections. In the City of Buenos Aires, electronic voting is used; in the province of Buenos Aires, party ballots. The difficulties in reconciling both systems were one of the arguments that led Kicillof to split in 2025, reopening his dispute with Cristina Kirchner.
In 2023, only Buenos Aires, CABA, Catamarca, and Entre Ríos voted together with the presidential elections. For 2027, the trend seems to be the opposite: most governors want to distance themselves from the national debate and ensure their political survival. The ball is in Congress and in provincial offices. The board is moving, and the pieces are starting to fall.
Para mí estos gobernadores son unos cagones que se quieren desdoblar para esconderse del debate nacional. Todos menos Kicillof que es el único con huevos. Pero bueno la izquierda siempre armando quilombo. Viva la libertad carajo
para mí estos gorilas de siempre hacen sus avivadas, desdoblan para esquivar el debate nacional mientras los laburantes nos rompemos el lomo. esto huele a traición de mierda. yo creo que kicillof les va a pasar el trapo, esperen nomas.