No EEC money for special elections

State Electoral Commission (EEC) has begun preparations for the May 16 special elections, in which six state lobbyists will be elected. But the president of the electorate, Francisco Rosado Colomer, He warned that they would need temporary employees and $ 8.9 million to do so.

In addition, he said they will need ballots printed on both sides and will use electronic counting devices, which require new programming from the Dominion voting system.

“You must issue a payment to Dominion. At this moment, I don’t know how much it is, but we have to start evaluating the problems related to the car maintenance, the logic and the precision of the event “, said Rosado Colomer.

“The first step has already been taken, which is the presentation (request for funds) at the Office of Management and Budget (OGP). We are at the beginning of everything that is an electoral event that, according to the Electoral Code of 2020 and as soon as this special election law was approved, begins a 12-month electoral cycle “, he added.

After the controversial 2020 elections, is the EEC ready for special elections in May ?, he was asked.

“The Commission is requesting additional temporary staff to be able to run this type of event and is subject to a budget. The Commission’s permanent staff are employed and ready to carry it out. But we don’t have the resources to do it, “he said.

He estimated that $ 8.9 million would be enough.

Following the application for EEC funding, the OGP must submit the application to Fiscal Supervisory Board, whose spokesman Edward Zayas said they had not yet received it.

Puerto Rico Congress Delegation Act (Law 167-2020) Approved by Governor on December 30 Wanda Vazquez Garcedand seeks to elect state lobbyists for the Equality Commission: two for the Senate and four for the Federal Chamber.

Vázquez Garced also approved the measure, which leaves it up to Governor Pedro Pierluisi to appoint a new statute plebiscite, the definitions of which will be decided by executive order. “As of today, I have not received a request for additional consultation,” Rosado Colomer said.

The EEC is currently focusing on finalizing administrative matters concerning elections and the handling of court decisions. Today, the briefcases of the contest for the mayor of Guánica must be reviewed again, after the Supreme Court ruled that all votes for the candidate by direct nomination Edgardo Cruz Vélez be counted.

Meanwhile, Judge Anthony Cuevas has two appeals filed by the Puerto Rican Independence Party and the Victoria Ciudadana Movement to allow them to be represented in the EEC, contrary to the provisions of a resolution by Rosado Colomer.