Cuba to Hold Local Elections in April
HAVANA TIMES — The Cuban government called today for regularly schedule elections on April 19th for local delegates, the part of the process of electing municipal authorities where the population is allowed to participate, reported dpa news.
In any voting district where no candidate receives 50% of the valid votes cast a runoff among the top two vote getters will take place a week later on April 26.
The island has approximately eight million voters in a population of a little over 11 million people. The local delegates are elected for a period of two and a half years.
While the elections are technically non-partisan Cuba is governed at all levels by a one-party system that concentrates political representation in the Communist Party.
Cuban law bans election campaigns; the candidates can only post a brief resume and small photograph on some designated places in the district. No local or national issues are discussed in the pre-electoral period.
In the last similar elections in 2012 a total of 14,500 delegates were elected nationwide in the more than 160 municipalities. The government says the voter turnout exceeded 90 percent.
The outlawed political opposition brands Cuba’s mid-term and general elections (held every 5 years) a total “farce”.
Likewise, the political-economic system on the island is almost fully centralized and municipal governments have very little say as to the investments or expenditures in their cities.
Do you have a source for the statement in the second paragraph?
Obama had $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ behind him….don’t kid yourself
Come on ….more than two parties in US?….some say there is only one…….don’t talk about what might happen here in Canada with numbers….all I’m saying the NDP are official opposition right now…send are governing in Man….ad there’s NO Social Democratic Party in The Us
The latest opinion polls put the Liberals ahead at 35%, the Conservatives at 33%, and the NDP trailing at 20%. So I don’t give the NDP much of a chance of forming the next government.
That said, they are a reasonable social democratic party and their leader, Thomas Mulcair is the most effective the three.
The US does actually have other political parties than the Democrats & Republicans, but those two dominate.
Barack Obama was no millionaire when he was elected President. When he was re-elected, Obama defeated the multi-millionaire Mitt Romney.
Meanwhile, the Castro brothers are by far the wealthiest men in Cuba.
So “elections” US of Arms…is sooooo great…where you need billions of $$$$$ to get get “elected”……to represent WHO????? ….where there are 2 parties…..with “little” difference between the two…..a Social Democrat in the states somehow is labelled a Communist…..at least in Canada we have a strong Social a Democratic Party (NDP ) ….currently the official opposition….with a fairly good chance of forming the next govt come Oct….
At least not some multi millionare like in the US
Cuban elections? Hahahahahahahahahahahah!
Gosh oh golly, I wonder who will be elected!