HAVANA, Sept 26 (NNN-TELESUR) — The president of the National Electoral Council, Alina Balseiro, told the press that up to 5pm local time, 5,806,078 citizens had voted out of the more than 8.4 million summoned in this popular referendum.
Balseiro explained that the information would continue to be processed since eight provinces and the special municipality of Isla de la Juventud had to extend for one more hour the closing of voting due to heavy rains.
He added that in the case of some areas of Havana and Santiago de Cuba, they received authorization to keep the polling stations open until 8pm local time due to the heavy rains.
He explained that the Cuban electoral law allows that in exercises of this type, citizens who are not in their place of residence may vote in special polling stations, a right to which more than 756,000 people availed themselves.
He valued the day as a clear and transparent expression of the whole organization of the electoral system of the country, despite the incidence of the rains.
The new family code, if approved, will replace one in force since 1976 and introduces new concepts in the field of family law in Cuba, among them parental responsibility, progressive autonomy and egalitarian marriage.
Before being submitted to public scrutiny, the legal norm was widely debated in popular consultations and sessions of the National Assembly of People’s Power.
The legislation will be effective if it reaches 50 percent plus one of the valid votes cast. — NNN-TELESUR
