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BREAKING NEWS: Electoral Commission sets Constitutional Assembly election dates, regulations; Chairman resigns
Marco Roboto, Fernão News Network | June 20 2017
The Electoral Commission during public comment.
- (Fortaleza, Fernão) The Fernãoan Electoral Commission voted last night to approve the President's request for a Constitutional Assembly.
Chairman Mateus Palmeiro convened the special meeting for the Commission to formally receive the President's message and to set a timeline for the consideration of the matter. By the end of the night, the Commission had approved and set dates and regulations for the election of an Assembly for revising the Constitution.
After seven hours of comments from the public, with a small majority of the nearly 500 speakers in support of the measure, Commissioner Naila Abadi moved to authorize Operations Director Rebekah Sandoval to direct State Commissions to prepare for an election. While Commissioners were at first hesitant, the support of Chief Electoral Commissioner Umukoro Amjad, who serves on the Commission ex-officio, changed the mood of the board.
"While the reservations some members may have, including the Chairman, I can see, I am also inclined to agree with [Amjad] … rather than give State Commissions insufficient time to organize precinct-level operations," said Commissioner Maria Fernando, "and the authorization of operations … is something in which this Commission must be involved."
After the Commission voted 6-2 in favor of telling states to prepare for an election, Amjad moved that the election be set for one month from the date of the meeting. Chairman Palmeiro ruled the motion dilatory but was overturned on appeal by a 5-3 vote. Amjad's motion was amended to one week, to prevent extensive campaigning, and passed by the same 5-3 vote. The Commission then passed regulations for the election 7-0-1, Chairman Palmeiro abstaining.
The Commission voted to require candidates to submit short, two paragraph platforms, and prohibited campaigning or public appearances from any candidates directly. They authorized the Commission's Rules Department to draft rules for the counting of the nationwide single transferable vote to elect seven members.
Chairman Mateus Palmeiro announced he will be resigning effective the date of the election. Candidates have been asked to file in the Senate Lobby, at the Commission's desk.