| Country: | Chile |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 1952 Chilean presidential election |
| Previous Year: | 1952 |
| Next Election: | 1964 Chilean presidential election |
| Next Year: | 1964 |
| Election Date: | 4 September 1958 |
| Turnout: | 83.50% |
| 1Blank: | Congress vote |
| Image1: | Jorge Alessandri Official Presidential Portrait (1958) Cropped and Coulorized.jpg |
| Candidate1: | Jorge Alessandri |
| Party1: | Independent politician |
| Alliance1: | Liberal–Conservative |
| Popular Vote1: | 389,909 |
| Percentage1: | 31.56% |
| 1Data1: | 147 |
| Candidate2: | Salvador Allende |
| Party2: | Socialist Party of Chile |
| Alliance2: | FRAP |
| Popular Vote2: | 356,493 |
| Percentage2: | 28.85% |
| 1Data2: | 26 |
| Image4: | Eduardo Frei Montalva headshot.jpg |
| Candidate4: | Eduardo Frei Montalva |
| Party4: | Christian Democratic Party (Chile) |
| Popular Vote4: | 255,769 |
| Percentage4: | 20.70% |
| Image5: | Luis Bossay.jpg |
| Candidate5: | Luis Bossay |
| Party5: | Radical Party of Chile |
| Popular Vote5: | 192,077 |
| Percentage5: | 15.55% |
| President | |
| Before Election: | Carlos Ibáñez del Campo |
| Before Party: | Independent politician |
| After Election: | Jorge Alessandri |
| After Party: | Independent politician |
Presidential elections were held in Chile on 4 September 1958.[1] The result was a victory for Jorge Alessandri, who ran as an independent. Allende's defeat has been commonly attributed to Antonio Zamorano, also known as "Cura de Catapilco", entering the race as a populist left-wing candidate and taking votes from Allende's electorate.[2] This explanation has been questioned by modern research that infers Zamorano took votes from across the political spectrum.[2] The "Catapilco" effect remains a trope in Chilean electoral discourse used to indicate a candidate that finishes third and is believed to have hindered the runner-up.[3]
The election was held using the absolute majority system, under which a candidate had to receive over 50% of the popular vote to be elected. If no candidate received over 50% of the vote, both houses of the National Congress would come together to vote on the two candidates that received the most votes.[4]