The work carried out by the National Electoral Council (NEC) during the past year and how much remains to be done to improve the body were the main topics discussed by its members at the annual review meeting.

Alina Balseiro Gutiérrez, president of the CEN, highlighted that during the period the Council organised, directed and supervised the development of 999 processes to fill the vacancies of delegates to the municipal assemblies of People’s Power, which represents 43.52 percent (%) of the total number of vacancies declared in the current mandate.

He pointed out that nine processes were also carried out to fill vacancies for deputies to the National Assembly of People’s Power, as well as four processes to fill vacancies in the Council of State and the Comptroller General of the Republic.

Balseiro Gutiérrez pointed out that the main dissatisfaction in 2024 was represented by the average turnout of 58.22% at the polls concluded at the municipal level, with 31 constituencies in the country failing to reach 30% participation.

The highest representative of the electoral authority in Cuba referred to the completion of the approved cadre of cadres, which is 98.06% covered, with a large participation of women among its ranks (62.3%) and young people under 40 years of age (14.3%).

Among the main points to continue to insist on, he identified the strengthening and dynamisation of the structures, with the decisive support of the volunteers who accompany each process, gaining visibility and positioning of the tasks of the body in defence of socialist legality and Law 127 «Electoral Law», as well as the incorporation of innovative techniques such as artificial intelligence in the procedures.

The CEN emerged after the proclamation of the Constitution of the Republic in 2019, as the State body whose fundamental mission is to organise, direct and supervise elections, popular consultations, plebiscites and referendums that are called, in addition to processing and responding to complaints that are established in electoral matters.

In accordance with its constitutional mandate, the CEN has functional independence with respect to any other body and is accountable for the fulfilment of its functions before the National Assembly of People’s Power and reports on electoral processes to the nation.