QCOSTARICA – TheTribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE) de Costa Rica – Supreme Electoral Tribunal, reported this Friday that it has everything ready for today’s (Sunday) elections in the country, with 2,152 voting centers and 6,767 polling stations, of which 80 are abroad in 42 countries and 52 consulates.
The president of the TSE, Eugenia Zamora, indicated that the polls to elect the president and the 57 legislators of the Legislative Assembly, for the period 2022-2026, will open at 6:00 am and will close at 6:00 pm, local time.
“We are ready for day, the first polling station to open is located in Australia due to a time zone issue and the last one to close is Los Angeles in the United States. It will be a very important night and we will be starting to transmit the results once the meetings close and the votes are sent,” Zamora affirmed.
The elections will be held under sanitary security measures. First, those in charge must verify credentials and the conditioning of the premises, then review the electoral materials and documentation, as well as fill out the voting opening record.
At the close of voting, authorities must determine the number of people who exercised their right to vote, pack the remaining ballots, and analyze, count, pack, and record the votes.
“It is a fundamental right that characterizes us as Costa Ricans and is what gives legitimacy to the national authorities. (…) As our Political Constitution says, it is a popular government, because it is popularly elected. Let’s go quietly, safely to vote, with ID in hand, mask and keeping our distance,” Zamora said.
The data transmission process begins once the voting boards are closed. 55% of the polls will be transmitted through 350 mobile devices, 37% will be via telephone call center operators and 8% via internet-enabled laptops.
“We are going to have the collaboration and participation of 100,000 people including party members, auxiliaries, managers of voting centers, reception boards, assistants, prosecutors, delegates and a number of people who are going to have a specific role,” explained the director General of the Electoral Registry of the Court, Héctor Fernández.
Today, Sunday, February 6, 3.5 million Costa Ricans are eligible to vote.
To ensure everyone has a chance to vote, the TSE suspended the vehicular restrictions (from Thursday) through Monday and has explained that being positive for covid does not deny one the right to vote.
No one can prevent a person sick with Covid-19, including having a sanitary order for isolation, from voting, but it is recommended that they stay at home,” emphasized the TSE.
“People sick with Covid-19 can go vote this February 6 to elect the new president of Costa Rica,” said Gustavo Román, Political Advisor to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE).
However, the TSE recommends people with symptoms of Covid-19 or who have tested positive, to stay at home, with the aim of stopping the advance of the pandemic, with an average of 5,000 new cases for the first days of February.
Sanitary protocols at voting centers
To reduce the risk of contagion, the TSE issued a health protocol, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, these are some of the guidelines and recommendations for election day:
- People must enter alone to cast the vote
- Older adults and people with disabilities may do so accompanied when they require
- People will not be allowed to remain for an extended time inside the Vote Receiving Boards
- The QR code will not be requested
- It is recommended to go early to vote when there are no crowds
- Citizens can bring their own pen
- Wearing a mask will be mandatory
- Political parties will not be able to place awnings outside the voting centers
Nor fixed sound equipment or live music groups, maroons or comparsas; as well as not employing people in the function of guides - The holding of public squares and parades is prohibited
To vote, all you need is your cedula.
Don’t know where to vote? Click here and enter your cedula number.
