Bolivia sets national elections for October 12

Bolivia's election tribunal today set presidential and congressional polls for October 12 -- with President Evo Morales a favorite to win a third mandate.
"The general elections for president, vice president, senators, deputies and representatives... Will be held Sunday October 12 this year," the tribunal president, Wilma Velasco, told reporters at a press conference.
Velasco said a potential presidential runoff -- to be held if no one candidate obtains a majority of votes -- would be December 7.
The new term is set to begin on January 22, 2015 and run for five years.
The latest polls put Morales in the lead to win the presidential vote, with opposition divided among several possible candidates.

The leftist leader, who is in the midst of his second term, currently has 38.3 per cent of the vote, well ahead of his nearest rival, businessman Samuel Doria Medina, polling at 14 per cent.
Another top opposition candidate is the influential governor of the eastern region of Santa Cruz, Ruben Costas.