The president of the State Election Commission (EEC), Francisco Rosado Colomer, acknowledging that in all likelihood his decision on the petition to recount the early vote of all the precepts of San Juan will be delayed, at least, until Thursday, although the parties have until the afternoon to express their views on the proposal of the Citizen Victory Movement (MVC).
In an interview with various media at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, Rosado Colomer did not want to let go of which side he leans on in terms of the petition, which will come after signals from at least three parties that the totals of early voters and ballots do not square in the five capital seals, and at the time the managers of the Absent and Early Voting Administrative Board (JAVA) draw up a report which, in theory, would explain the apparent discrepancies.
Rosado Colomer did mention that the schools in unit 77, where the majority of absent and early votes are counted, are not like a regular school and, therefore, the provision of the unit does not necessarily apply. Article 10.7 of Electoral Code.
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This section of the law states that “if the Commission cannot correct the errors found in a Ballot Report issued by the electronic voting system or the electronic ballot machine, or if there is a discrepancy between the number of voters reflected in the voting list, whether printed or electronic, and the ballots scrutinized in the polling station or in JAVAA by one of the electronic systems, must, by way of exception, count all the ballots of the polling station with the which reflects the discrepancy ”.
“When you open a briefcase (of JAVA) it has no list (of voters). The law states that when the briefcase is opened and the minutes do not match the voter list you must make an acknowledgment to see if anything remains. But JAVA is not like that. I have to evaluate calmly, but the truth is that the expression of this discrepancy should see to what extent it can be applied to JAVA because all five parties, including MVC, were present when they decided how they were going to run JAVA. (If) they will deviate or move away from what the law has, which is the consequence, I still don’t know “, said Rosado Colomer.
The president said he remembered him to Olvin Valentin, electoral commissioner of the MVC, that unit 77 of seal 1 of Sant Joan had already counted, so he did not understand exactly “what he was pursuing” with the application submitted by the moons.
“I tried to establish some contrast and I couldn’t do it. Maybe he will supplement his writing (but) I don’t know “, said Rosado Colomer.
After the count of precinct 1 of San Juan, unit 77 threw a total of 2,361 state ballots, 3,141 legislative, 4,671 municipal and 2,114 plebiscite, according to the summary of acts of scrutiny published in the portal of the EEC. However, Rosado Colomer could not say whether those discrepancies were indicative of any irregularity.
“It may be a data entry error. I really don’t know the cause. I haven’t been offered any either, so I don’t know if the analysis is complete. But I’m not in a hurry to certify (the winners), “said the president.
“I do not know if there is a gap. I would have to assess whether they set me the reasons why there is such a gap. It is one thing to insinuate and another to try. If framing, for example, is a mistake in passing a number from one act to another, we could be talking about it being an ‘easy fix’. I have not been defined what the picture is, “added Rosado Colomer, wondering if he would be willing to issue the certifications even though the report of the JAVA managers reflected mathematically inexplicable results.
Both the electoral commissioner of the Democratic People’s Party (PPD), Gerardo “Toñito” Cruz, such as the Puerto Rican Independentista Party, Roberto Iván Aponte, argued that starting a count at this point in the general scrutiny presented practical complications, but stressed that the MVC’s claim is correct in its merits.
“If you say we are going to do a count today, the reality is that if there are irregular votes, everything is mixed, and the numbers would be the same as they are reflected now and there would still be a discrepancy. You cannot distinguish between right vote and wrong vote. But as I believe in transparency, it’s okay to do the counting, “said Aponte.
“It does not mean whether or not we agree with the solution of recounting, because there is a reality: we do not have much time. There are barely two weeks left to complete the work and the possibility of a count implies that we will not swear in a governor on the 2nd (January), the Legislative Assembly cannot begin and the mayors cannot begin on the 14th. huge in what one does here, ”said Cruz, agreeing with Aponte that the venue reflected the squaring methods you already know.
Rosado Colomer assured that a scenario would not be visualized in which the general scrutiny, and therefore the issuance of official certifications, would extend beyond December. Following his calculations, the EEC should conclude the general scrutiny between 27 and 28 December, taking Saturdays as rest days, as well as 24 and 25 December.
Today, the election commissioner of the New Progressive Party, Hector Joaquin Sanchez, will not be available to offer its position on the possibility of appeal, while Valentine will not rule out going to court if the EEC refuses to order the San Juan early voting appeal.
For tomorrow Guánica
Early in the evening, Rosado Colomer reported that he had yet to attend the votes by direct nomination for mayor of Guánica in 18 schools, so the resolution of this contention will be extended, at least, until tomorrow.
“If those tables find unidentified names, they are protesting. It seems to me that there are four additional numbers that were produced in six ballots that are going to go up to the Commission ”, said Rosado Colomer, who on the moons decided that 64 variants of names would be awarded to the aspirant‘ write-in ’ Edgardo Cruz Vélez, who has claimed victory in this municipality.
Rosado Colomer’s resolution, in which he barely ruled out nine of the 73 names before him, was criticized by Commissioner Cruz and challenged in court by Ismael Rodríguez Ramos, PPD candidate for mayor of Guánica.
“The commission does not have the list (of names) for which (Cruz Vélez) is known in Guánica and, secondly, in Guánica there are other voters with these names. In addition to Edgardo Cruz Vélez, there is a Gerardo Cruz Velázquez, an Edward Cruz Morales, an Edgardito Cruz Morales and an Edgard Cruz. Before this election, every year there were 17 to 20 ‘write-in’ numbers. A percentage of Guánica, like all Puerto Rico, writes names. I can’t attribute the seventy-number of names to this person, “said the PPD commissioner.
Rodríguez Ramos’ lawsuit alleges that, under the parameters set by Rosado Colomer on Monday, Cruz Vélez would rise to victory.
“The (Electoral) Code has a provision that must be interpreted on the basis of the intention of the voter. And the full name must be defined. The complete number for which it is known, the complete number for which the voter knows it. What full name does the law say? I don’t define it, “said Rosado Colomer, who gave way to variations such as’ E. Cruz ‘,’ Ecgla Cruz ‘,’ Edgaldo ‘,’ Edgard Cruz ‘,’ Esgardo ‘and’ Wgardo Cruz ‘.
Is a letter the full number ?, he asked Subway to the president.
“I do not know. That will be decided by another forum if they are going to appeal to me and I don’t have to criticize or object to what someone thinks I was wrong … The right of the one who voted for what he thought was going to be the mayor he respected because it is their constitutional right to vote for one person, ”he said.