Legislator Proposes Fine
For Not Voting in
Elections
Costa Ricans not voting
in the country'
elections can cost them
if a proposal by
legislative deputy, José
Manuel Echandi, of the
Partido Unión Nacional
(PUN), is accepted and
the Código Electoral
amended.
Echandi, a former
Ombudsman, proposes to
fine citizens who do not
vote in presidential,
municipal elections and
referendums, equivalent
to two days pay. The
fine would be applied by
the Registro Civil
(civil registry) when a
person requests a new
cedula.
The fine will depend on
the job or profession of
the individual. In the
case the non-voter is
unemployed, the fine
will be established in
accordance with the
lowest paid salary on
the Ministerio de
Trabajo (labour
ministry) pay scale.
The Echandi proposal
will only excuse those
citizens who can prove
that they were out of
the country or
hospitalized, at the
time of the vote.
All others are expected
to cast their vote or be
fined, according to
Echandi, who said that
the fine has been used
successfully in other
countries, like
Argentina, Boliva and
Chile, reducing the
absentee rate.
In the October 7
referendum vote, some
40% of the voters did
not bother to case a
vote. The number has
been much higher during
the past presidential
and municipal elections.
The legislator says the
the Constitución
Política (political
constitution) obligates
citizens to vote and not
doing so harms the
democratic process.
Asked if the same
constitution gives the
right to abstain from
voting, Echandi said
that it would be
preferred if people got
out to vote, even if the
vote in nil.
"If the voter doesn't
like anu of the
alternatives they should
get to vote and vote
nil, giving the
political parties the
hit and not democracy",
said Echandi.
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