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Ortega’s electoral power mounts “elections” in just over two months

Ortega's electoral power mounts "elections" in just over two months

The Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) of Nicaragua called this Tuesday for municipal elections, which this year are scheduled by law to be held on November 6.

The Electoral Power resolved to “call elections to elect the positions of mayors, mayors, deputy mayors and municipal deputy mayors; also call elections to elect the positions of the members of the proprietary municipal councils with their respective substitutes or respective substitutes, by municipal constituency in the 153 municipalities of the country.

According to available state information, at least 4.4 million inhabitants are summoned to the municipal elections to elect 153 mayors, 153 deputy mayors and more than 6,000 councillors.

A woman votes in the presidential elections, in the Receiving Board of Esquipula in Managua (Nicaragua). EFE / Jorge Torres

The call for the Supreme Electoral Council was issued in La Gaceta, the official newspaper, less than three months before the elections, contrary to custom, of being held six months in advance.

Last May, the National Assembly (Parliament) approved some reforms to the Electoral Law that reduced the campaign time, from 75 to 30 days for general elections (presidential and legislative), and from 20 days for municipal or regional ones.

Related news: Open Ballot Boxes sees “impossible to organize credible municipal elections” under the total control of Ortega

The number of voters for each Vote Receiving Board was also increased from 400 to 600, which will reduce the time to mark the ballot by 33 seconds (1.06 minutes), as well as the establishment of electoral silence on November 2, Day of the Deceased, and 72 hours before the voting.

Different social actors have demanded the establishment of an electoral calendar, which would define which parties will compete in the municipal elections, as well as their respective candidates.

According to the Urnas Abiertas electoral violence observatory, made up of a multidisciplinary team, abstention in the past elections was 81.5%, however the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE), under the control of the ruling party, set it at 34.74 %.

Currently, 135 municipalities in Nicaragua, out of a total of 153, are governed by the official Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), a party that also controls all the powers of the State.



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