3:15 p.m. Adrián will also vote one day



Photo: Freddy Pérez Cabrera

SANTA CLARA. —At just 18 days old, little Adrián Alejandro Medina Falcón, in his mother Wendy’s arms as she voted, of course has no idea of the importance of today.

Casting her ballot at polling station No.1, constiruncy 44, in the Vigía Sandino People’s Council, Wendy was proud to be accompanied by her little one, and said the family had decided she should take him to vote, in order to be able to tell him about it when he is older.

“Right now, in his innocence, he doesn’t know what is going on, but one day he will come here to exercise this vote too, like thousands of young people who are voting for the first time today,” noted Adrián’s father, aware that this is part of a process to guarantee that his son will receive health, education and so many other achievements of the Cuban Revolution, that so many other children around the world are lacking.

(Granma correspondent: Freddy Pérez Cabrera)

Wendy, Adrián Alejandro’s mother, was proud to take her little one with her to vote this Sunday.

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2:56 p.m. The right of all to vote



Photo: Freddy Pérez Cabrera

SANTA CLARA, Villa Clara. —Thanks to special polling stations, every Cuban eligible to vote can do so wherever they are in the national territory this Sunday. Dozens of passengers of the Havana-Morón train did so, at polling station No.1, constituency 19, located in the Viet Nam Heroico semi-boarding school, very close to the city’s train station.

According to teacher María de los Ángeles Arboláez Quevedo, chairperson of this polling station, voting has occurred without any setbacks and it is also expected that a large number of passengers of the Havana-Bayamo-Manzanillo train service will vote here.

Adonis Portuondo Montero, from Baragúa municipality; Luis Leiva Marín, from Camagüey; and Yunier Martínez Guillot, from Santiago de Cuba, are among those who have taken advantage of this special polling station to exercise their right to vote. They expressed their gratitude for the initiative.

The province of Villa Clara also has special polling stations located in the Arnaldo Milián Castro and Mariana Grajales hospitals, in Santa Clara and the Mártires del 9 de Abril Hospital in Sagua la Grande, to allow staff and patients to vote; and in Cayo Santa María, for those working in the construction of tourist facilities and services.

A total of 1,548 polling stations opened their doors in the province, according to Julio Ramiro Lima Corzo, first Party secretary in Villa Clara, and candidate for deputy to the National Assembly, who voted at polling station no.44 in Isabela de Sagua.

(Granma correspondent: Freddy Pérez Cabrera)

Polling station No. 1 of constituency 19 is located close to the train station, to allow passengers to vote.

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2:55 p.m. More than 310,000 residents of Cienfuegos support the electoral process

CIENFUEGOS.- More than 310,000 residents of Cienfuegos are supporting the electoral process in the 768 polling stations across this province this Sunday.

Yudianela Quintana, aged 19, highlighted that Cuba’s electoral process differs from others: “No hate, no tanks, no soldiers. Just people from your block, your colleagues, neighbors, the schoolchildren from your building. All supporting the process in their own way, because we never want Cuba to return to the disgraceful past of dictatorship before the Revolution.”

Some 700 university and high school students are participating as collaborators, as well as 60 jurists to supervise each step of the process.

(Granma correspondent: Julio Martínez Molina)

One of the 768 polling stations in Cienfuegos this morning. Photo: Julio Martínez Molina

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2:43 p.m. Cubans also helped to vote from their own homes

CIENFUEGOS.- Miguel Cañellas Pomares voted from the comfort of his own home this Sunday. The chairperson of his local polling station, accompanied by a young pioneer, took his ballot papers to his home to allow him to exercise his democratic right.

Cañellas told Granma that he was unable to walk to the polling station, as he was recently operated on for a fractured hip, otherwise, he would have been there early to vote, as always.



Photo: Julio Martínez Molina

Cañellas worked for more than three decades as Professor of Philosophy at the Cienfuegos Party Provincial School, and is well-respected in his community. He is father to one the chief intellectuals of the territory: writer Miguel Cañellas Sueiras.

The 80-year-old noted that a vote for Cuba is a vote for its history, for its founding fathers, for the historic ideal of sovereignty and Independence; it is voting for the continuity of the Revolution and for this great people, whose bravery and resistance have been proved.

Cañellas is a member of the Committee for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) no. 3 in Zone 89, Cienfuegos municipality, and is registered to vote at the La Gloria polling station, located in the Frank País High School. A further 8 people voted in their own homes from his CDR, and thousands of others throughout Cienfuegos.

(Granma correspondent: Julio Martínez Molina)

Miguel Cañellas Pomares, aged 80 and with a recently operated fractured hip, voted in the comfort of his own home.

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Granma International providing LIVE UPDATES on the general elections in Cuba this Sunday:

2:26 p.m. Some 4 million Cubans have now exercised their right to vote

According to in formation provided by the National Electoral Council (CEN), by 11:00 a.m. a total of 3,977,551 Cubans had exercised their right to vote across the country, representing 45.51% of the electorate.

The total number of Cubans registered to vote this Sunday is 8,740,569.

Although each territory has its own specific characteristics, CEN Vice President Tomás Amarán Díaz noted that the provinces of Granma, Las Tunas and Sancti Spíritus have seen slightly higher numbers of voters thus far.

He also emphasized the efforts of electoral authorities at all levels, especially to prevent any setbacks due to the rain.

He noted the special efforts made in mountainous and rural areas, as well as the 143 special polling stations installed throughout the country.

Increasing numbers of voters have turnout out throughout the day, he noted, and it is expected that voting will close satisfactorily.

(Granma correspondent Yudy Castro Morales)

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2:16 p.m. The people of Las Tunas turn out to vote

More than 400,000 residents of Las Tunas are eligible to vote in this Sunday’s general elections.

A total of 1,286 polling stations across the province opened their doors to voters early this morning.

Enma Rodríguez González, whose home is used as a polling station, noted she was happy to be supporting the electoral process.

“The electoral authorities spoke with us, because they needed a site in this area and we immediately agreed. It was a family decision. We got up very early, organized everything and from seven o’clock this stopped being our home and became a polling station.”

Over recent months, electoral authorities have been provided with all the necessary training to be able to guide voters through the process and ensure that they exercise their right to vote correctly, having reviewed the biographies of the candidates and heard from them in their local community meetings.

Five special polling stations were installed in Las Tunas, to ensure that all those people unable to make it to their local polling station are able to vote.

Today, Las Tunas residents are voting for a total of 75 candidates for delegates to the Provincial Assembly and 27 delegates to the Cuban Parliament.

(Granma correspondent: Leidys María Labrador Herrera)

Electoral authorities are responsible for providing each voter with an explanation of the process. Photo: Leidys María Labrador Herrera

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2:15 p.m. Voting underway in Pinar del Río

-More than 450,000 residents of Pinar del Río are eligible to exercise their right to vote this Sunday

- In Pinar del Río, resident are voting for a total of 75 delegates to the Provincial Assembly of People’s Power and 32 deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power (Cuban Parliament)

- Special polling stations were set up the Abel Santamaría and León Cuervo Rubio hospitals, and in the provincial bus terminal, to allow all citizens to vote

- More than 10,000 residents are involved in overseeing the process at the 1,225 polling stations across this province

- More than 7,800 electoral authorities are ensuring the transparency of the elections in Pinar del Río

(Granma correspondent: Ronald Suárez Rivas)

Photo: Ronald Suárez Rivas

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11:30 a.m. A total of 1,614,735 Cubans had voted by 9:00 a.m.

By 9:00 a.m. a total of 1,614,735 Cubans had already cast their vote, representing 18.68% of the electorate, Secretary of the National Electoral Council María Esther Bacallao Martínez reported.

She noted that over 20,000 voters had exercised their right to vote at polling stations at which their names did not appear on the voter register, or at one of the 143 special polling stations across the country, located in passenger terminals, hospitals, student residences and other sites.

She noted that this is a genuine show of the support of the people for the electoral process and their active participation.

She also reiterated that power issues have been reported in some territories due to the rain, but immediate solutions have been sought to ensure that none of the 24,470 polling stations across the country have had to be closed.

According to Bacallao Martínez, “The entire process has developed satisfactorily and the mass participation of the people has been evident.” She also highlighted the discipline of electoral authorities at all levels.

(Granma correspondent: Yudy Castro)

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11:00 a.m. Ten minutes at the Ciego de Ávila bus terminal

More than 60 travellers have cast their vote at special polling station no.3, constituency 68, located in the Ciego de Ávila bus terminal, almost in the center of Cuba. Drivers of Transgaviota and Viazul buses, together with passegners from Santiago de Cuba, Antillas and Gibara in Holguín, Villa Clara, Havana, and other parts of the country.

Photo: Ortelio González Martínez

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10:51 a.m. Another triumph in the Sierra Maestra

At 6:00 a.m. in Minas del Frío, the habitual mist and icy cold wind reigned in this remote community located at 900 meters in the Sierra Maestra, Granma province.

Obisley Reyes, aged 30, arrived at the polling station together with his wife, to prepare conditions for the 171 inhabitants of this village, due to exercise their right to vote today.

“This entire town is a product of the Revolution. It’s no longer just four scattered houses. There’s a doctor’s office, a store, restaurant, two cooperatives, a farm, a little school where my wife works and where our children will go.

“There’s even a rehabilitation área with all the necessary equipment, where I work, to benefit nearby communities. These are the things we are voting to support, for the good people who defend them, for the mountains and the entire country to continue being an example of human dignity.”

Che Guevara created a training school for combatants of the Rebel Army here 60 years ago. The constituency has five polling stations distributed between the communities of Minas del Frío, Mompié, Caguara, Polo Norte and El Roble.

Today, these five historic sites will once again prove victorious, through the democratic vote of their inhabitants.

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10:50 a.m. Esteban Lazo Hernández: The medication against division is unity

The President of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo Hernández, exercised his right to vote in polling station no.2, constituency no.48, located in the Cesáreo Fernández Primary School of the Havana municipality of Arroyo Naranjo, where he is again a candidate for deputy to the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP).

Speaking to reporters, Lazo noted that the electoral process that began in November and continues today with the election of members of the Cuban parliament and delegates to provincial assemblies, across more than 24,000 polling stations, has seen the mass participation of the Cuban electorate and is a result of the significant efforts of 200,000 electoral authorities.

He also noted the work of young people and school children in supporting the electoral process, as well as the training of all those involved in guaranteeing that everything runs smoothly throughout the day.

Regarding the particiaption of Cuban women in Parliament, Lazo noted that women represent 48% of deputies in the current National Assembly, and in the next, they will represent 53.2%. As such, the Cuban parliament is set to have the second highest percent of women members in the world.

Esteban Lazo Hernández, president of the National Assembly of People’s Power (ANPP) exercised his right to vote and spoke with reporters.

Photo: José. M. Correa Armas

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10:40 a.m. Indira Díaz Roques casts her first ever vote

PINAR DEL RÍO.—Indira Díaz Roques had never before voted until today. At the age of 16, she noted that this was a right she had to defend. As such, she came out to deposit her ballot, not only to support candidates for the provincial assembly and Cuban Parliament, but also the electoral system that Cuba has built since 1959.

“In these elections we are also voting for Cuba, for the future of our country, for the continuity of the Revolution,” she stressed.

Indira is a student at the Tania la Guerrillera Pedagogical School, in Pinar del Río, training to become a teacher.

“I had participated in other electoral processes, but as a pioneer, watching over the ballot boxes.

“I loved it, it was a really beautiful experience. I always felt proud to have been chosen to hold such an important responsibility.”

Despite being a first-time voter, she noted that she had received all the necessary information on the voting process.

“I believe the Cuban electoral system is democratic, because we have the opportunity to elect the people who will represent us.

“Nobody is pressured to vote for anyone in particular, it is a free and transparent process,” she noted.

“Today has been extraordinary for me, because through my vote I am reaffirming my support for the Revolution, Fidel, Raúl, and honoring the memory of the heroes who gave their lives so that we would have a sovereign homeland.”

(Granma correspondent: Ronald Suárez Rivas)

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10:35 a.m. Cuban sports stars exercise their right to vote

Cuban sports stars voted for their National Assembly and Provincial candidates.

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10:22 a.m. Statements by the President of the Electoral Commission of the municipality of Sancti Spíritus

SANCTI SPÍRITUS.- Including all those involved in the different polling stations, constituencies, districts and the Municipal Electoral Commission itself, in the capital municipality of the province of Sancti Spíritus, almost 1,900 electoral authorities have been trained for this electoral process. This figure reveals the extensive preparation necessary to successfully develop a process of this magnitude.

Pedro Iglesias Marrero, President of the Municipal Electoral Commission, who has over 30 years’ experience in Cuban electoral processes, noted that the timely training of electoral authorities guarantees clean and transparent elections.

Photo: Elizabeth Borrego

With a total of 112,889 registered voters across its 260 polling stations, Sancti Spíritus is the only municipality of the province to have two electoral districts: one of a mainly rural population and another urban area.

“I have seen our electoral system grow, we began with teleprinters and now everything is digitalized,” Iglesias explained, noting that his work in this regard has been a valuable experience.

Among the strengths of the Cuban system, he highlighted the role of a group of supervisors, responsible for ensuring the electoral law is followed and the elections developing in full transparency; and the contribution of collaborators, including university students, who demonstrate the high participation of Cuban youth in this process.

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With a total of 112,889 registered voters across its 260 polling stations, Sancti Spíritus is the only municipality of the province to have two electoral districts. Photo: Vicente Brito

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10:10 a.m. The First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Díaz Canel Bermúdez, exercises his right to vote in the city of Santa Clara.

Photo: Freddy Pérez Cabrera

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10:04 a.m. Voter in Holguín: “I didn’t hesitate to vote for all the candidates”

HOLGUÍN.- Roger Antonio Ávila Rodríguez, an 83-year-old retired judge, voted in Polling Station No.5 of the Constituency No.2 of Alcides Pino People’s Council No.1, in this city.

“I didn’t hesitate to vote for all the candidates. This moment meant voting for Cuba and for unity among all compatriots,” he explained after casting his vote.

Roger recalled the various electoral processes in which he has participated since 1959.

“In the elections of 1944 I was 9 years old, and in those of 1948, I had turned 13. I remember the attitude of my father, who never went to vote, because he said the presidents of the nation, the mayors, the councillors and all those who lived off politics, only sought these positions to make themselves rich.

“To do so, they would do anything. In order to admit one of my sisters with appendicitis to the civil hospital in Holguín, a representative of one of those politicians demanded all the identification cards of our family. My father refused and preferred to pay for a private clinic with the money he had hastily made by selling some cows.

“In those times, what was considered democracy wasn’t respected. In 1952, when I had turned 18, Fulgencio Batista led the coup d’état. My father told me: Now the country will get worse. And he was right.

“Everything changed with the triumph of Fidel, for whom I voted today.”

Roger Antonio Ávila Rodríguez, a retired judge, on depositing his ballot.

Photo: Germán Veloz Placencia

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9:30 a.m. Statements by Isabel González Cárdenas, president of the Provincial Assembly of People’s Power in Camagüey:

“We are sure that, as always, the people of Camagüey will come out to vote early, as can be seen already in the streets this morning. We have many reasons to vote: this will be a vote for the unity of the people as regards the Revolution, for the principles that we defend and will always defend, for the historic legacy and commitment we made to our eternal Comandante Fidel, for the future of our families, for the education that we have, to see our children study and play in the streets with complete freedom and without any danger, for this land that we defend, for so much blood spilt and for so many heroes who gave their lives for us to enjoy today a free and sovereign Homeland.”

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9:20 a.m. Voting underway in Camagüey

Camagüey.- Nobody was going to stop Faustino Vázquez Romero from being the first to vote at polling station no.4 in constituency no.61, in the city of Camagüey: “I’m always among the first to vote. It’s my way of ratifying my love for my country. I am what I am thanks to the Revolution, as my parents were poor campesinos of the Amancio Rodríguez area and, what’s more, we were ten siblings in the family. Imagine the future that awaited us if January 1, 1959, had not arrived! (Granma correspondent: Miguel Febles)

Elections are underway in Camagüey. Photo: Miguel Febles Hernández

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9:00 a.m. The President of the National Electoral Council reported that voting is running smoothly across the island

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8:40 a.m. Susely Morfa González, First Secretary of the National Committee of the Young Communist League (UJC) and member of the Council of State, exercises her right to vote

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8:30 a.m. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister of Foreign Affairs, member of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee Political Bureau, and deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power, exercises his right to vote

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8:23 a.m. Mercedes López Acea, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba in Havana, member of the Party Central Committee Political Bureau and a vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, exercises her right to vote.

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8:22 a.m. José Ramón Machado Ventura, Comandante of the Revolution and Second Secretary of the Party Central Committee, exercises his right to vote.

The Second Secretary of the Party Central Committee, José Ramón Machado Ventura, exercised his right to vote in a constituency of the electoral District No.2 of the city of Guantánamo.

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8:21 a.m. Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, exercises his right to vote.

The First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Councils of State and Ministers, Army General Raúl Castro Ruz, exercised his right to vote in a polling station located in Santiago’s II Frente Oriental Frank País municipality, as reported by ACN.

Raúl was nominated as a candidate for deputy of the National Assembly of People’s Power here.

At the polling station, the Cuban President exchanged with voters and electoral authorities.

Cuban television reported that Raúl voted in Polling Station No.1, of constituency No.11, and was the first voter to place his ballot in the ballot box.

Photo: ANC

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8:20 a.m. Despite anti-Cuban provocations, the election process has developed peacefully

Last week, the Cuban Foreign Ministry condemned an attempt to orchestrate a new act of anti-Cuban provocation from abroad, with the aim of interfering in the internal affairs of Cuba, generating instability, affecting the country’s image and Cuba’s diplomatic relations with other states.

You can read the full statement from the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following link:

Anti-Cuban provocation plot foiled on eve of elections: http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2018-03-09/anti-cuban-provocation-plot-foiled-on-eve-of-elections

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8:18 a.m. 17,000 university and high school students are participating in the electoral process

University professors and students are participating in this process as electoral authorities, collaborators, supervisors and members of the candidature commissions.

Over 17,000 university and high school studentsare registered to act as collaborators in these elections, which will see 605 National Assembly deputies and 1,265 delegates to Provincial Assemblies elected. These students have received the necessary training on the details of the Cuban electoral system.

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8:16 a.m. A novelty of these elections: Digital certification

This March 11, the National Electoral Commission (CEN) will implement the use of digital certificates in the general election process, as CEN President Alina Balseiro noted during a recent press conference.

The new procedure will facilitate the agility of the elections, as not only will the information be registered, but votes will be counted, allowing the chairpersons of electoral commissions at the different levels to validate the results and the elected deputies and delegates.

Through this process, all documentation is sent to municipalities, where the presidents of Municipal Electoral Commissions and chairpersons of provincial commissions digitalize all the data and sign the corresponding certificates.

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8:14 a.m. When did this electoral process begin?

Cuba’s 2017-2018 general elections were called on June 14, 2017, and the first stage concluded in December with the constitution of the Municipal Assemblies of People’s Power, formed of delegates elected in each neighbourhood constituency. The second and final stage of the voting will take place today, March 11. The general election process will conclude on April 19 with the election of the 31 members of the Council of State and the President of Cuba.

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8:12 a.m. What happened after the first phase of the general elections, held November 26, 2017?

Representatives of the Cuban people saw an intense preparation period following the first stage of the general elections, the constitution of the municipal assemblies and the later handover to new authorities of these bodies by the outgoing presidents and vice presidents.

The new delegates of the 5,876 electoral constituencies were provided with the essential information regarding their mandates before assuming office, as well as analyses of the socio-political situation and issues identified and pending in their respective constituencies, and all established documentation.

Likewise, municipal presidents and vice presidents participated in courses focused on the economic and social situation in each province, the implementation of the country’s Social and Economic Policy Guidelines, and contributions to local development, among other topics.

They also studied the established procedures on the functioning of municipal assemblies, commissions, people’s councils and administration bodies.

[Further reading: Minute by minute: Elections in Cuba (I)]

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[Recommended reading: Minute by minute: Elections in Cuba (I), November 26, 2017]

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8:10 a.m. STEPS IN THE ELECTION OF CUBA’S PRESIDENT:

1. Nomination as deputy proposed and approved in a social or mass organization leadership plenum.

2. Nomination approved by a vote of the Municipal Assembly.

3. Election via a direct, secret ballot vote by electors in a district.

4. Election as President by the National Assembly.

5. Must be elected via a direct, secret ballot vote by deputies.

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8:00 a.m. Five sources to follow Cuba’s general elections:

Official website of Cuban general elections 2017-2018

National Electoral Commission on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

National Assembly on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

Official website of the Cuban Parliament

Mobile app on the Cuban electoral system (available to download here)

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/loCXFKHLP8M

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7:05 a.m. As part of the protocol, the ballot boxes are shown to be empty

The first step of the morning is to show voters that the ballot boxes are empty before being sealed, as outlined in the Cuban Electoral Law.

To find out more about the general election process and the similarities and differences between the first stage to elect constituency delegates and this stage, in which provincial delegates and national deputies are elected, we suggest the following articles:

Elections: Questions and answers (Part I)

Elections: Questions and answers (Part II)

Elections: Questions and answers (Third and final part)

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7:00 a.m. Polling stations open across Cuba

Polling stations opened across Cuba at 7:00 a.m. this Sunday, March 11, for the election of deputies to the Cuban Parliament and delegates to Provincial Assembles of People’s Power.

More than 8 million citizens are eligible to vote, as the President of the National Electoral Council, Alina Balseiro, told reporters.

Last Sunday, March 4, a dynamic test (mock election) was undertaken to check that all elements of the voting system, including ballots, the counting and analysis of information were in place, as well as to identify any issues yet to be resolved. As Balseiro noted, the results of this mock election proved satisfactory.

[Suggested reading: The noble face of the country]

Important details of the general elections: