August 29, 2024, 10:33 AM
August 29, 2024, 10:33 AM
The long wait since the early hours did not take away the excitement that could be seen on the faces of a large number of young university students and seniors who went alone and with friends to the mega centers set up by the Departmental Electoral Tribunal (TED) of Santa Cruz, to register and participate for the first time in their lives in the judicial elections of December 1, the referendum and the upcoming general elections.
Many of the now ‘first-time’ voters were teenagers when the fraudulent elections of 2019 were annulled. However, they are aware of the democratic role they assume and the clear request to the Government and the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) that the elections of December 1 be carried out with ‘transparency’ and that honest authorities be elected.
The mass biometric registration is aimed at those people who will turn 18 by December 1, have changed their address or have never registered, according to the TED. Specifically, the mass registration period runs from August 21 to this Friday, August 30, with no deadline to be extended according to the electoral calendar.
Half a block from the main offices of the Departmental Electoral Court, on Andrés Ibáñez Street, Leonardo Sangüesa, who has just turned 18, took advantage of the fact that he did not have classes at the university to go with a classmate to the place at 08:00 in search of registering. He studies Civil Engineering at the Gabriel René Moreno Autonomous University (Uagrm).
“I hope the elections are fair, without electoral fraud,” the student said.
Carla Belén, 19, is studying Political Science. Like Leonardo, this will be her first time voting, although she tried to register before, but most of the centres were full.
“Today I had to leave my classes to come and register. I tell young people not to wait another day and come, the lines are long,” she said.
Gustavo Hurtado, from Beni, was the last in line until 1:12 p.m. on Wednesday. He came to the capital of Santa Cruz to study law at the Domingo Savio University. At 19 years old, he had to register today due to a change of address.
“I hope I can register because they say they are open until 4:00 p.m.,” he told EL DEBER, noting that elections are necessary given the situation the country is experiencing.
For her part, Mrs. Eleuteria, a lady who sells pineapple juice near the registration center near the Municipal Library, said that people begin to arrive at 5:00 a.m., but especially senior citizens who have priority in the queue.
The president of the TED, María Cristina Claros, informed this newspaper that as of Tuesday, August 27, there were 57,083 registered people, of which 27,832 are new registrations and 29,252 people due to changes of address. She estimated that by this Friday there will be 95,000 registered people.
He also indicated that the influx of people in the mega centers is due to two reasons. One, because the last electoral process was in 2021, in the subnational elections, and three years have passed by now, taking into account that the judicial elections should have been held in 2023.
Second, because several young people were already registered in the mobile brigades deployed in the universities. However, when the registration was announced, many of those already registered joined the queues because their names did not appear as registered in the ‘I Participate’ application.
“Many say that I already registered in those campaigns or in 2022, why am I not listed? The explanation is because this Yo Participo application has emptied the electoral roll for 2021. When these days close, from September 2 to October 11, Serecí will consolidate the new Biometric Roll,” he explained.
