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Referendum Process Under Way
The process of the referendum on
the Tratado de Libre Comercio
(TLC) - free trade agreement
with the United States - is on
track, according to the Tribunal
Supremo de Elecciones (TSE)
officials, who say they already
have the 10.000 citizens already
trained to operate the voting
stations when Costa Ricans make
history in the first popular
vote in the country to decide
their fate.
Héctor Fernández, coordinator of
electoral programs at the TSE
said that the people attending
the voting stations are part of
the selected for the mayoral
vote last December 3.
The 10.000 assistants already
have received the necessary
training that is required during
the 12 hours of voting.
Fernández said that they will be
the "authority" at the 4.950
voting stations that will be
open on voting day.
In accordance with the "Ley de
regulación del referendo" (referndum
law) each voting desk will have
one member of the TSE. However,
Fernádez, said that there will
also be one stand-by, as the TSE,
according to Fernández, has its
focus on the bring as
transparent as possible.
In addition, there will be
"national observers" at all
voting stations and though will
not have the power to interfere
at the voting station, will have
the power to report anomalies
and irregularities.
The TSE will make available the
telephone line "800selector"
available to the observers to
make their reports.
During the voting, members of
the Fuerza Pública (police) will
be available to the TSE to
guarantee that the voting is
peaceful and to secure the
elections material.
Fernández added that it will
take the TSE three months to
co-ordinate the entire process
so that the maximum number of
people come out to vote and
without any problems.
The referendum by the numbers:
- 4.950 the number of voting
booths
- 2 the number of people in
charge at each voting station
- 30.000 the number of
replacements on hand to help out
on voting day if necessary
- 2.600.000 the number of
Costa Ricans eligible to vote
yes or no on the TLC
- 60 the number of votes
that can be cast each hour at
each voting booth
- 2 the number of minutes
a voter has to cast his or her
vote under the Código Electoral
(elections code)
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