Former Chilean President Sebastian Pinera is leading the presidential election, with 22.78 per cent of votes counted, Chile’s Electoral Service said.

“In democracy, all must have the opportunity to freely express their opinion, without resorting to violence,” Xinhua news agency quoted Pinera as saying earlier upon voting in Santiago.

The 2017 election in Chile stands out due to the sheer diversity of presidential candidates.

President Michelle Bachelet, who is not running for re-election, said “today is a very special day, a civic day, where all our compatriots can ensure their voice makes sense”.

“They have a right to elect who they want to represent them from March 2018,” he added when voting in Santiago.

Sunday’s elections are also unique because of new electoral rules, which will lead to a new political landscape in the Latin American country.

This election sees the start of a new proportional vote, which is likely to favour a greater diversity of parties in Parliament, meaning more negotiations are likely to form a government.