This Sunday, Colombia celebrates another historic day with the elections of the Municipal and Local Youth Councils, to which young people between 14 and 28 years old are invited to elect their representatives in positions of participation, surveillance and coordination with local administrations.
These elections, regulated by the Youth Citizenship Statute and current electoral regulations, imply not only the passive vote of youth but also their direct involvement as voting jurors to guarantee the transparency of the process.
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The voting jurors, appointed by lot, will assume key functions in the development of the election: verify the electoral kit, attend to the flow of voters, register the votes on official forms and participate in the counting.
Colombian electoral law establishes that the position of jury is mandatory, which means that whoever is appointed must fulfill it unless they present a justified cause.
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Within the framework of these youth elections, the Registry Office has indicated specific sanctions for those who, without justified cause, do not fulfill their role as a jury. For designated young people who are minors (in these elections the participation of young people applies even in these duties), non-attendance without justification implies mandatory social work: 40 hours of socialization of the Youth Citizenship Statute in your youth communitywith verification of compliance by the rector of the corresponding educational institution.
For citizens of legal age chosen as jurors who do not attend or abandon assigned duties without justification, the Registry Office contemplates economic sanctions that reach up to 10 current legal minimum wages (approximately $14,235,000) and, when applicable, dismissal from office if the defaulter is a public servant.
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These measures seek to reinforce responsibility in the role of jury, an essential element in the legitimacy of the elections. Although in the general context many electoral processes have imposed similar fines for failure to comply with jury dutythe focus on these youth elections incorporates a pedagogical variant: the social sanction for young minors, which seeks to transform duty into an opportunity for dissemination and community interaction with the youth statute.
The challenge is great. Election day will depend not only on the active participation of young people as voters, but also on the fulfillment of the obligations of those who make up the voting stations.
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In a country where electoral processes have always been under public scrutiny, monitoring the correct development of these youth elections falls on many —voters, candidates, witnesses, authorities and juries. If everyone plays their role, there will be a new generation of councilors who, from the territories, will be able to directly influence public policies and give voice to a growing sector that seeks to be the protagonist of its present and future.
VALENTINA DELGADILLO ABELLO
Portfolio Journalist
