. . . UNIORE NEWSLETTER

Number 90 May-June, 2010

Seminar on worldwide electronic voting experiences

Mexico City, Mexico. The Seminar on worldwide electronic voting experiences was organized by the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE), the activity was held on 12 and 13 May with the objective of illustrating the advances

and lessons learnt from the implementation of various forms of electronic voting to the Mexican legislative and political community, with a view to analyzing its potential for the

reality of the country.

Montevideo. In this photo citizens are seen exercising their right to vote. Mexican, European, Canadian and American Municipal and Departmental elections in the panelists met to discuss and analyze the issue Eastern Republic of Uruguay from their own experiences and perspectives. The Adjunct Director of CAPEL, José Montevideo, Uruguay. At the invitation of the Electoral Thompson, provided a view from the Latin Court of Uruguay, the Inter-American Institute for American experience in the panel entitled

Human Rights through its Center for Electoral Technological modernization in electoral Assistance and Promotion (IIDH/CAPEL) coordinated systems: Electronic voting from an international an Observation Mission which witnessed the Municipal perspective and Departmental elections in its country, which took place on Sunday 9 May, 2010. They made the most of their presence in Mexico

City by participating in an exchange workshop In these electio ns 19 intendants were elected to the same with authorities from the Electoral Commission number of Departmental Boards, and for the first time of Burundi, organized by the IFE and the United 89 mayor’s offices were elected, due to the Law Number Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In 18.567 of 13 September 2009 which created the this activity recent experiences of vote counting

Municipalities, a third level of government and and results transmission in Latin America were administration which is led by a mayor and five shared. councilors.

The electoral process was carried out very calmly and without irregularities despite the newness of the municipal electoral process.

The Observation Mission was made up of judges and officials from UNIORE electoral organizations and a delegation of officials from the IIDH/CAPEL lead by José Thompson , Adjunct Director of the IIDH and Director of CAPEL, and by the Coordinator of the Regional Office for South America.

Bogotá. In this photo a young Colombian woman is seen exercising Santo Domingo. A woman exercises her right to vote in an electoral her right to vote. center in Santo Domingo. Source: http://www.informador.com.mx

Presidential Elections in Colombia Ordinary General Congressional and

Municipal Elections in the Dominican Bogotá, Colombia. The Republic of Colombia held the Republic first round of Presidential Elections on 30 May 2010. The Electoral Organization of Colombia enabled 29,983,279 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Central citizens to participate in this electoral process, where the Electoral Board (JCE) in its capacity as member of former Minister of Defense and candidate for the the Association of Electoral Organizations of governing Party of the U (Social Party of National Unity), Central America and the Caribbean (Tikal Protocol) Juan Manuel Santos, obtained 46.56% of the vote, ahead and the Inter-American Union of Electoral of the Green Party’s Antanas Mockus Sivickas, who Organizations (UNIORE), invited the IIDH/CAPEL, obtained second place with 21.49%. Due to none of the Executive Secretariat to collaborate in the candidates receiving half plus one of the votes, a second International Observers’ Mission which witnessed round of elections was carried out on 20 June. the Ordinary General Congressional and Municipal Elections which took place on 16 May 2010. In response to the invitation extended by the National Electoral Council and the Colombian National Registry of The JCE enabled 6,116,397 Dominican citizens Civil Status, the IIDH/CAPEL, in its capacity as registered at 13,250 polling stations to vote. This Executive Secretary of the Association of Electoral electoral process had a 56.43% participation of Organizations of South America (Quito Protocol) and the registered citizens who exercised their Right to Vote Inter-American Union of Electoral Organizations to elect 32 senators, 178 deputies per province and 5 (UNIORE), cooperated in the organization of the from the accumulation of the vote at the national International Observation Mission which was present for level, as well as 20 deputies to the Central American the presidential elections on 30 May 2010. The mission Parliament (PARLACEN) and their alternates. was composed of judges and officials from the electoral organizations of Argentina, Costa Rica, Bolivia, Chile, The group of observers was made up of 52 judges Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, and electoral officials from Antigua and Barbuda, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Uruguay and Venezuela. El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico, Santa Lucia, The mission organized a 4 day program, which included Uruguay, United States of America and Venezuela. participation in the International Elections Seminar: On the initiative of the JCE a preview of the report Institutionalization and Democracy, as well as was shared with the media. presentations by political analysists on the socio-political context of Colombia and from polling representatives, they also met with the delegates and presidential candidates. Second Round of Presidential Elections in Colombia

Bogotá, Colombia. Given that none of the candidates

achieved an absolute majority (50% plus one of the valid votes), to win the first round of the Presidential Elections, a second electoral round was held on 20 June in compliance with the provision of Article 190 of the Political Constitution, “the President of the

Republic shall be the person who obtains half plus one of the votes cast. If no one reaches that number then a new vote will be held between the two first places”.

Bogotá. In this photo we can see the Director of CAPEL, Joseph Thompson and the judges who formed the international observation In this electoral process Juan Manuel Santos Calderón

mission in the International Elections Seminar: Institutionalization and was elected as President of the Republic for the Democracy. constitutional period 2010-2014, he obtained 69.05% International Elections Seminar: of the vote ahead of his contender, Antanas Mockus, Institutionalization and Democracy who obtained 27.5% of the vote.

Bogotá, Colombia. On the occasion of the Presidential The IIDH/CAPEL, in its capacity as Executive

Elections held on 30 May 2010, the Electoral Secretary of the Quito Protocol and the Inter-

American Union of Electoral Organizations Organization of Colombia with the support of the IIDH/CAPEL organized the International Elections (UNIORE), responded to the joint invitation of the Seminar: Institutionalization and Democracy. The National Electoral Council and the Colombian activity was carried out on 27 May and participated in by National Registry of Civil Status, by collaborating in members of the International Observation Mission, the organization of the International Observation academics and electoral officials of the continent. Mission, composed of judges and officials of the

Electoral Organizations of: Argentina, Costa Rica, In this context a comparative analysis of trends in Latin Bolivia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, America was carried out, addressing the following Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru. The issues: Financing, opportunities and inequalities; IIDH-CAPEL was represented by its Executive Participation and electoral training; and finally Political Director, Roberto Cuéllar M., the Adjunct Director, parties, candidates and electoral processes. These topics Victoria Napky, and the Adjunct Director and were dealt with by academics and members of electoral Director of CAPEL, José Thompson. organizations from Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru and Panama. The Mission had the opportunity to meet with the presidential candidates, Juan Manuel Santos of the

During the meeting experiences were shared on sources National Unity Party, and the candidate, Antanas of finance for political parties, how funds are spent and Mockus Sivickas, of the Green Party. Both of whom the processes that generate corruption and clientelism, on spoke with the observers and provided information the other hand training programs were presented which about their work plans. have been promoted by political culture and citizen participation, aimed at strengthening the electoral regime Read more online: The IIDH/CAPEL in the Colombian presidential elections. and participative democracy. Finally an analysis was www.iidh.ed.cr/capel carried out on safety, security, freedom and participation of the political parties and the candidates in the electoral Links to news media: http://sincelejoherald.com/issue/mayo-27-de-2010/article/elecciones-colombia- process as indicators of legitimacy, institutionalization comienza-el-seminario-mision-de-observacion-internacional and quality of the elections. http://www.eltiempo.com/colombia/tolima/preparativos-en-tolima-para- elecciones-presidenciales_7728099-1 http://www.colombia.com/actualidad/autonoticias/especiales/2010/04/14/Detalle Noticia38269.asp

Guatemala City. In this photo we see the Honorable Judges of Guatemala’s TSE, the President of the TSE of Costa Rica and the Executive Director of the Guatemala City. View of the work sessions. IIDH during the opening ceremony of the Tikal Protocol.

XXIV Conference of the Association of the As part of this activity the electoral organizations Electoral Organizations of Central America had the opportunity to report on the main tasks and and the Caribbean (Tikal Protocol) and XXV activities carried out during the period from August anniversary of the Tikal Protocol 2009 to June 2010. The meeting concluded with the Guatemala City. From 27 to 30 June the XXIV adoption of agreements which will guide the work Conference of the Association of the Electoral of the Association for the next twelve months. Organizations of Central America and the Caribbean

(Tikal Protocol) took place. The Supreme Electoral From the adopted agreements comes the Court (TSE) of Guatemala, in its capacity as host and commitment by the Electoral Organizations to with the collaboration of the Center for Electoral continue to dynamize the Association as a Assistance and Promotion (IIDH/CAPEL), in its mechanism of agile horizontal cooperation between capacity as Executive Secretary of the Association of its members, providing information on the Electoral Organizations of Central America and developments and its technical and institutional the Caribbean (Tikal Protocol), brought together the capabilities, as well as recognizing the active delegations of Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El participation of other English-speaking countries, Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Puerto Rico, especially from the Caribbean, to allow them to and Santa Lucia, to reflect on “ The use of technology integrate as members of the Tikal Protocol and for in electoral processes (electoral register, electronic them to fully take on the agenda and commitments voting and counting)”, its central theme. On this set out in the Constitutive Act. In the adopted occasion, the XXV anniversary of the pact that chose agreements the importance of continued cooperation to adopt the Electoral Organizations through the with the IIDH/CAPEL to feed the Electoral Law creation of the Tikal Protocol was commemorated, a database was also recognized, this application can pioneering initiative which would later be extended to be found on the CAPEL website, a practical tool diverse manifestations on every continent. which can be searched and used for research.

The opening ceremony was presided over by the If you would like to know more about the adopted agreements, plenary of the Supreme Electoral Court of Guatemala, work reports, papers, program and list of participants at the XXIV Tikal Protocol Conference you can visit our website at: headed by its President, the Honorable Judge María http://www.iidh.ed.cr/capel, Click on Tikal Protocol and then Eugenia Villagrán de León; Jorge Mario García Conferences. Laguardia, the first director of the CAPEL; Luis Antonio Sobrado, President of the Supreme Electoral Message from the Executive Director for the XXV Anniversary Court of Costa Rica and Exiting President of the Tikal of the Tikal Protocol.

Protocol, and Roberto Cuéllar M., Executive Director of the IIDH. In their speeches Judge Villagrán and the

Executive Director emphasized the important role of this Association in the political transition of the region and the new challenges which the member organizations must respond to. News from the member organizations of the UNIORE

Below you will find the most recent changes that have occurred in the composition of the electoral organizations of the region: Republic of Honduras Supreme Electoral Court

The new President of the Supreme Electoral Court of Honduras is Dr. David A. Matamoros Bastón.

Eastern Republic of Uruguay Electoral Court

Dr. Ronald Herbert President Federal Republic of Brazil Dr. Wilfredo Penco Superior Electoral Court Vice President The new President of the Superior Electoral Court Dr. Washington Salvo Stotz - Minister of Brazil is Mr. Ricardo Lewandowski.

Dr. Margarita Reyes - Minister News

Dr. Gustavo Silveira - Minister

Dr. Walter Pesqueira - Minister

Dr. German Lezama – Minister

Dr. Sandra Etcheverry - Minister Republic of Costa Rica Dr. Alberto Brause - Minister Supreme Electoral Court

Dr. Gabriel Courtoisie – Legal Secretary The Supreme Electoral Court is publishing the ninth edition of its Electoral Law Publication; it is dedicated to the commemoration of the creation of Dr. Mariella Demarco- Legal Secretary the Supreme Electoral Court through the Constitution of 1949 and the recent enactment of the new Electoral Code in September 2009.

For more information about this publication, click

here

Republic of Argentina

National Electoral Chamber

From July, the National Electoral Chamber assigned Dr. Hernán Gonçalves Figueiredo as Secretary of Judicial Performance and Dr. Alejandra Marcela

Lázzaro, as the Under Secretary of the Chamber of Judicial Performance.