This Sunday April 12the polling station members, representatives, coordinators of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) and inspectors of the National Elections Jury (JNE) will play a key role.
This in a context of elections are characterized by an unprecedented number of candidates, the return to the bicameral Congress and the enormous size of the ballot, the largest in history.
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The polling station members are, for example, responsible for conducting the installation, voting and counting of the votes.
Until Monday, only 52.23% of the 843,894 citizens who were chosen by lottery to hold these positions had been trained, as announced by the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE). In total, 435,970 members were prepared until Monday’s cutoff.
In the case of the representatives, sources from the National Elections Jury (JNE) detailed that the parties have only accredited, as of Monday, 2,264. Of that total, 1,915 are voting center representatives and 349 are voting table representatives. However, the latter can be accredited even on the day of the elections, in accordance with the Organic Law of Elections.
On the other hand, the JNE announced the deployment of almost 50 thousand inspectors throughout the country for election day.
What role do each of these authorities play?
Board members
Polling station members are responsible for conducting the installation, voting and counting of votes. The president assumes representation of the table and conducts the main events. The secretary and the third member have the obligation to remain with the president, supporting the tasks of the three moments (installation, suffrage and scrutiny).
According to the rule, all polling station members must be present for the installation of the voting table, scheduled for 6:00 am. If the table holders are present, the substitutes proceed to cast their vote and leave.
Citizens who perform this function will receive S/165 soles and those who have completed their training will be granted a non-compensable paid rest day, for both public and private sector workers, which must be taken within 90 days after the date of the elections.
Polling station members who are not present at the voting station will be fined S/ 275.
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Representatives
It is the citizen accredited by a political organization to care for and defend its interests during the electoral process. Your behavior must be guided by four very simple principles: legality, that is, complying with the rules; transparency, reporting clearly and honestly; impartiality, acting without affecting the neutrality of the process; and respect, maintain orderly and respectful conduct with everyone.
There are two types of representatives: those at the polling station and those at the polling station. Both must carry their ID and credentials on election day. In the case of the first, the location where he/she will perform his duties must appear and in the second, the number(s) of the tables he/she is in charge of.
It should be noted that candidates, polling station members, officials of the Electoral System, or active members of the Armed Forces and the National Police cannot be representatives.
Polling station representative
The local representative must be accredited by the legal representative of the group registered in the Registry of Political Organizations (ROP) before the Special Electoral Jury (JEE).
Its function is to represent a political organization at a voting center. Their task is to observe what happens there to ensure that election day takes place normally. To this end, coordinate with the table staff at that location. Their work is carried out only on election day, from the beginning of the day.
According to information provided by the JNE, a citizen can be a voting station representative in one or more centers; However, two representatives of the same political organization are not allowed to be present simultaneously in the same premises.
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Table attendants
On the other hand, polling station representatives are citizens accredited by the party’s legal representative before the JEE to witness how the electoral process unfolds at a voting table.
They have the power to witness the installation, voting and counting of votes during the electoral act, but without interfering in the work of the polling station members. Likewise, they can report any act that threatens the transparency and legality of the electoral process.
You could even request the annulment of the voting table in cases in which you consider that the table has been installed in a place different from the one indicated, under conditions different from what the law says or after noon.
It can also challenge the identity of a voter during voting when it is claimed that the voter is not who they say they are. In this case, if the polling station members declare the challenge unfounded, the voter is allowed to vote. Then, what they resolved is written in the observations field of the vote record. The personero has the option of appealing this decision.
In addition, you have the power, if you wish, to sign the last page of the list of voters, the voting record, and to make observations and complaints during the time of voting.
In the event that you consider that the polling station members have exercised intimidation or violence towards the voters, you have the power to request the annulment of the polling station.
During the counting, you can witness the reading of the votes, examine the content of the ballot papers already read and challenge the vote. This right allows the representative to complain if he considers that the decision of the table regarding whether the vote is valid, null or blank affects the interests of the political organization he represents.
When a vote is challenged:
- The board members resolve by majority.
- If the challenge is declared unfounded, the vote is counted as valid.
- On the other hand, if it is considered founded or the representative appeals the resolution of the table, the vote is counted as a contested vote. The card is kept in the challenge envelope, in which the table president’s data is completed for him to sign. Likewise, the signature of the person who challenged the vote is requested. The fact is recorded in the Observations field of the scrutiny record of the corresponding election.
The personero can sign the scrutiny report, if he wishes, and make observations or complaints to the scrutiny.
You can also request the annulment of the voting table if you have verified that votes were admitted from people who did not appear on the “List of voters” of that table or rejected them in a sufficient number to alter the result of the elections.
You also have the right to request a complete record signed by the polling station members (if you wish) and verify that the ballots counted are kept in the corresponding envelopes and delivered to the ONPE staff at the end of the scrutiny.
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JNE auditors
It has been planned that one inspector will supervise two polling stations, unlike previous processes where one inspector was in charge of eight voting stations.
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Table coordinators
In dialogue with El Comercio, the expert on electoral issues José Tello, president of Aklla Perú, explained that the table coordinators are in charge of all the logistical issues of the development of the electoral process, such as having the material, delivering it, collecting it, preserving it (since these elections). They are also responsible for the process of issuing minutes table by table, this system must be kept in mind that it is automated.
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Other powers of board members
Specialist José Tello pointed out that polling station members can also request the support of the coordination staff that the ONPE has at the polling station, the JNE electoral supervisors, and the Armed Forces. or PNP in the event that you find any irregularity in the line or some strange attitude in the case of an electoral person.
They can also request the eviction of people, that is, they have full control.
Its function runs from 7 am to 5 pm. It is very likely that they will stay until 7 pm to efficiently count the votes.
Who will settle any differences or disputes?
Tello indicated that, as there are three of them, they can decide any controversy by a majority of 2 to 1 or by unanimity. However, he pointed out that the figure of the casting vote is not contemplated in the norm.
The polling station members decide initially, but if this is appealed, it is raised to the Special Electoral Jury, as a second instance.
