Cuban partial elections were positive and satisfactory

Cuba held partial elections, described as satisfactory and positive, and characterized by the broad participation of voters. More than 7,700,000 citizens voted to elect the delegates to the Municipal Assemblies of the People's Power in 24,646 polling stations opened yesterday.

The National Electoral Commission (CNE) stressed that these elections took place very quietly, without incident of any kind and tested the effectiveness of the implemented system of communication and data transmission.

About 27,379 candidates were nominated, 35.84 percent of them are women, meanwhile among them more than 59 percent are acting delegates.

Cuban People's Power National Assembly (Parliament) President Esteban Lazo stressed the relevance of those partial elections, as they were held amid the economic and social updating process underway in Cuba, and the elected delegates represent the highest authority of the political system in grass-roots that they are the voters.

Elections were made in an important time when some economy changes are being implemented and the municipalities are granted more responsibility, Lazo noted.

On the other hand, First Vice President Miguel Diaz-Canel, after voting, ratified the Cuban government's willingness to hold a dialogue with the United States on the basis of respect.

CNE statistics states that about 188,900 people participated as electoral authorities, who were trained for those functions.

According to the chronogram, a runoff will take place on Sunday, April 26, in those places where no candidate got over 50 percent of valid votes. In this case, the two contenders with the highest number of valid votes will pass to the following round.