Vote counting turnout, transparency in Cuban elections

Cubans will go to the polls on March 26 to elect lawmakers to Parliament, in a democratic exercise during which they could also be part in the counting of ballots.

The Electoral Law foresees that the vote counting is public so that the members of the electoral bodies of the territory, representatives of political and mass organizations, nominees, and other citizens who wish to do so, whether voters or not, may participate.

The legislation states that the polling station’s president will decide where those observing the vote counting must be located. They must behave correctly according to the solemnity of the moment.

Once the vote counting has begun, it will follow the steps foreseen, that is to separate the valid ballots into two groups: one with the votes for all candidates and the other with the selective votes.

The polling station’s members must verify that the number of valid ballots is equivalent to the sum of both groups before the vote counting starts. The president of the polling station will announce the counting of the selective votes. Once the reading has concluded, the total vote that each of the nominees reached will be added.

According to the law, those who obtain more than half of the valid votes cast in the municipality or Electoral District, as the case may be, are considered the lawmakers of the National Assembly of the People’s Power.