Misplaced Ballot Found in School Desk
The finding of a presidential voting ballot at a school in Grecia did not surprise militant supporters of the Partido Acción Cuidadana (PAC), who assure this is not the first and only irregularity of the election, that has yet to proclaim a president.

For the PAC this is worrisome because it reveals a breach of security in the electoral system. The PAC charge that the ballot found loose at the school should not have been left behind. Though it is a "null" or "void" ballot, it should be with all the other ballots and part of the count.

What worries members of the PAC even more is the non interest by officials of the Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones (TSE), who have failed to respond to this type of incident. The Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) says it has no knowledge of the occurrence.

The PAC is charging that the voting ballot continues to be in the hands of a teacher, a week later after the election. The teacher found the ballot tucked under a desk and told a Telenoticias reporter that he will hold on to it until someone from the TSE contacts him to pick it up.

The presidential election is so close that one vote can mean the difference between electing Oscar Arias (PLN) or Ottón Solís (PAC), as the two leaders are neck to neck in the count. Depending on which report one believes, both parties are claiming victory, waiting on the TSE to make the "official" announcement, which is not expected for another two weeks.

English teacher, Isidro Vargas, told Telenoticias that he was surprised to find the ballot. which according to him was in favour of Solís.

As witnesee, Vargas, has several students at the Grecia centre school and is the genuine thing evidenced by a signature by a voting station worker. Strangely, the ballot remained in the desk for a week before being discovered.

Telenoticias followed up with Roy Rodríguez, who had signed the ballot after it was counted on the Sunday following the closing of voting, saying that it was an error on his part, having forgotten the ballot.

No TSE officials were on hand over the weekend to comment on the situation. It is expected that today, Monday, TSE officials will make a comment.

The vote counting continues today.