Countdown for the Ecuadorian Referendum Began

Beginning today it is forbidden to campaign for the Ecuadorian referendum to be held on Saturday 7 May. There are ten questions that will be submitted to the will of 583 11’157 Ecuadorians that are part of the voters registration list, including overseas votes, military, foreign, young people between 16 and 17, and the disabled ones, for whom participation is optional.

IN ECUADOR

The referendum process will begin tomorrow in prisons. There are 4,067 people in prison. They will vote a day before the national plebiscite.

Dissemination of the quick count results will be that day depending on the consolidation sample on electoral trend and if discarded an eventual technical draw in the ten questions.

IN SPAIN

In Spain there will be ten voting reception centers, located in Madrid, Murcia, Barcelona,Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Marbella, Granada, Seville, Malaga, and Almeria.

Doors open at 07.00 am (05.00 GMT) and close at 17.00 (15.00 GMT), when the Ecuadorian ambassador will offer an assessment of the voting process at the center of Madrid-Instituto Cervantes of Secondary Education.

To exercise the right to vote it will be sufficient to submit the Identity Card or Ecuadorian Passport to the members of the respective polling station.

In accordance with the provisions of the National Electoral Council 16 years old Ecuadorians living in Spain  will be allow to vote there as long as they have registered themselves in the abroad voters list at least one day before the call, it means before March 7, 2011 .

The vote, which is obligatory in Ecuador for citizens over eighteen years of age, is voluntary for Ecuadorians living abroad and for those over sixty-five, the military and police on active duty and people with disabilities.

Source: Daily El Universo / Daily Expreso