In 18 days, 280 political groups must register candidates

Ecuadornews:

The CNE, before including candidates in the ballots, will review the legal and internal democracy requirements. The deadline expires on December 21. Despite the fact that the registration period of candidacies for the 2019 sectional elections began on November 21 and will end on December 21, there is still not a single applicant registered with the National Electoral Council (CNE).

For political organizations to register candidates, they must first win internal democratic processes, as established in Article 94 of the Code of Democracy.John Gamboa, provincial director of the CNE, explains that the institution has supervised four internal elections. “From the moment of the Avanza Party,of the Health and Work Movement, of the Luis Rodas Toral Movement and of the Independent Democratic Progressive Movement”.

Wilma Andrade, representative of the Democratic Left, said that they are complying with the regulations and held the general assembly two weeks ago. In the event,120 delegates from all provinces selected candidates for councilors and parish councils, “the meeting had delegates from the CNE, we are complying with the regulations.”          She clarified that they still do not designate the candidates for mayors, whicht hey have planned in another convention with delegates from the party, on December 15, “it is a very short time and the CNE has dedicated itself to organizing itself internally and does not coordinate with the political movements this stage of the calendar.”

Therefore,she believes that the electoral body should extend the deadline for the presentation of candidates, “as the campaign begins in February, they could approve an extension.” Gamboa responds that an extension of the deadline in the registration of candidacies is not possible because it is fulfilled according to the schedule of activities of the electoral calendar,which has an operational plan for the sectional elections of 2019, which was approved by the plenary session last March.

However,the Democratic Center Movement already has a date for the registration of candidacies. Jorge Velez, member of the same, anticipates that by December 18will go before the electoral body to register their candidates for different dignities.

Meanwhile,Alianza PAIS holds meetings for the presentation of their respective binomials.With the decline of the candidacy for the Prefecture of the former governor ofGuayas, José Francisco Cevallos, the provincial director of PAIS, Rommel Salazar, points out that this “personal decision” does not alter the organization of his paintings and highlights that in the coming days they willannounce the date of their primary, to then make the registration of candidacies.

 ThePSC-Madera de Guerrero also plans its internal elections. Assemblyman Henry Cucalón details that the theme of his convention is already “very advanced” and that “it will not be past December 15,” in which his militants and supporters will vote for the characters that will run in the elections.

However,only 18 days remain to register candidates from the different political stores,which will mean that the CNE will hire temporary staff to carry out all these activities. The former coordinator of political participation of the CNE,Milton Paredes, emphasized that one of the most important issues at this stageis the accompaniment to the processes of alliances between the different political movements of the country.

He indicated that there are 280 organizations qualified to present candidates,”hopefully not all are in a position to present their own candidates an dopt for partnerships.” This will reduce the number of applications, taking into account that there are 5,659 dignities to choose from.

Paredes said that another advantage of the procedure is that ideologies are streng the nedand union promoted. The CNE must accompany these processes, which implies the registration of the coalition, before the primaries are held to choose their candidates. “These are complex issues and the electoral staff should be trained.”

The expert recalled that at this time the main issue is to have a computer system ready to receive the large number of documents and registrations. “In 2014there were 28,180 candidates from approximately 160 movements, now there are many more,” he said. (I)

Source: https://www.eltelegrafo.com.ec/noticias/politica/3/grupos-politicos-no-inscriben-candidatos