[NYTr] Cuban Election: Candidate Nomination Meetings Increased in Havana

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles


Candidate Nomination Meetings Increased in Havana

Havana, Aug 8 (acn) Cubans will have more opportunities to nominate 
candidates on the ongoing electoral process, as the number of 
nomination meetings have been increased, Jose Pavon, president of the 
Provincial Electoral Commission (CEP), told the press this Wednesday.

According to the Electoral Law, each district must nominate a maximum 
of eight and a minimum of two candidates, explained Pavon.

On this occasion, there will be more than 50,600 nomination assemblies 
nationally, 9,000 more than in the previous electoral process. An 
increase in the number of assemblies has been a tendency in Cuba's 
electoral processes since they began in 1976, commented Pavon as quoted 
by Granma newspaper.

He explained that nomination areas established in the Cuban capital 
include an average of 238 citizens and that there are now 1,599 in 
Havana, up by some 25 percent as compared to 2005.

Electoral commissions in Havana are putting the final touches on 
preparations for the 9,110 meetings that will take place starting 
September 1 to nominate candidates for delegates to municipal 
assemblies. This time, there will be 1,433 more meetings than in 2005

Pavon said preparations for the municipal elections are progressing at 
a good pace. "We have emphasized the training of all members of the 
electoral commissions through workshops on the legal norms that should 
be observed."

The first round of voting takes place on October 21, with runoff 
elections on October 28 in voting districts where no candidate obtains 
a majority of the valid votes. Photographs and biographies of the 
candidates will be previously posted at public places in each district.

After the candidates for delegates to the municipal assemblies of the 
People's Power (local government) are nominated, a process that takes 
place every two and a half years, municipal delegates are expected to 
meet to choose their presidents and vice-presidents.

The process then continues with the election of delegates to the 
provincial and national assemblies.  Both the provincial and national 
assembly members have five-year terms.

The electoral process began in July and concludes in 2008 with the 
election of the National Assembly (Parliament) members.