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Peruvians head to the polls for 2020 parliamentary elections

00:14 | Lima, Jan. 26.

Over 24 million Peruvians head to the polls today to cast their ballots in the extraordinary parliamentary elections.

As is known, the Executive Branch constitutionally dissolved Congress on September 30 and called for parliamentary elections.

The new 130 legislators will serve the remaining period of the 2016-2021 legislative tenure, following the dissolution of Congress.

Voters

24,799,384 Peruvian citizens are eligible to participate in this process both in their home country and from abroad.

According to the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), the extraordinary parliamentary elections involve a total of 974,230 Peruvian citizens who reside abroad.

Thus, 3,374 voting tables will be put into operation in 79 foreign countries located in the five continents: Africa (6), Americas (2,220), Asia (144), Europe (981), and Oceania (24).

The five nations with the largest number of voters are the United States (304,860), Spain (145,804), Argentina (141,566), Chile (113,083), and Italy (92,020).

On the other hand, Macedonia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Algeria, Ukraine, and Egypt are among the 15 countries with the lowest number of registered voters overseas, with less than 100 electors each.

According to the electoral body, the electoral process abroad started on January 25 at 1:00 p.m. (Peruvian time and day) in the city of Wellington (New Zealand) and will conclude on January 26 at 7 p.m. in the city of San Francisco (United States).

Electoral material

The transportation of electoral material to the voting tables abroad began on January 5 through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the chief in charge of ONPE, Manuel Cox, 17 tons of materials were needed to set up the more than 3,000 polling stations.

The electoral material consists of ballot papers, electoral registries, ballot boxes, voting booths, and other elements necessary for the election process.

International observers

The National Election Board (JNE) has accredited a total of 230 international observers for these elections.

Out of the total, 105 are part of the EU Election Observation Mission, which has been in the country since December 26. They have held meetings with electoral bodies, political parties, and other electoral stakeholders in Lima and provinces.

Meanwhile, the Organization of American States (OAS) sent 35 observers, whose activities kicked off on January 14 and will finish on January 29.

Other 31 were accredited within the Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations (UNICORE) mission, whose activities run from January 23 to 27.

Moreover, these elections gather delegations from the Andean Parliament, the Latin American Council of Electoral Experts (CEELA), the Observatory of Electoral Studies and Institutional Politicians (OEEPIL), Electoral Transparency, the Ecuadorian Committee on Human and Union Rights (CEDHUS), and the Strategic Alliance Foundation.

The electoral experts have attended lectures —held by JNE— in which they were provided information about topics that are relevant for their performance, such as the functions of electoral bodies in the electoral process and the current legal framework.

President meets with EU observers

Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra on Friday met with European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) officials at the Government Palace in Lima.

At the request of the Executive Branch, the EUEOM will verify that the 2020 extraordinary parliamentary elections —scheduled for January 26— are held freely and transparently, as well as rely on all the corresponding guarantees.

(END) RMB/MVB

Publicado: 26/1/2020