08/11/10 – The head of the Federal Electoral Institute (Instituto Federal Electoral –IFE), Leonardo Valdés Zurita, affirmed that there are conditions in place to implement the electronic voting system at the national level and that in the electoral process of 2012 the first pilot tests will be executed. In an interview, during his visit at the Chamber of Deputies seminar titled “The critical issues of the electoral reform,” he indicated that the IFE continues to review the proposal in order to take the first steps and evaluate if the public accepts the electronic voting system.
Zurita emphasized that electronic voting, at a national level, requires a pilot program in order to be certain that the process is effective, thus in the meantime the traditional system will continue to be used. He also mentioned that this process requires that the legislators to listen to observations made by the IFE and make at least minimal reforms planned by the electoral organization.
The main focus of the seminar was to evaluate security in the electoral process in a climate of rising violence. “IFE will do everything in its reach so that these reflections and changes in the politics of security at a national level help us so that the 2011 local elections, especially the 2012 federal [elections], are realized in a climate in which the citizens can vote without their security being at risk,” Zurita said.
Sources:
Notimex. “Prepara el IFE “prueba piloto” de voto electrónico en 2012.” La Cronica deHoy. 09 Agosto, 2010.
NTX, and SERM. “Pide IFE ajustar norma electoral rumbo al 2012.” Informador. 11 Agosto, 2010.
El Financiero en línea. “Violencia pone en riesgo procesos electorales: IFE.” El Financiero. 11 Agosto, 2010.
Etcétera. “Urge reforma electoral: Corral.” Etcétera. 10 Agosto, 2010.
Xantomila, Gabriel. “Pide Valdés Zurita adecuar ley electoral para recuento de votos.” El Heraldo de Chihuahua. 10 Agosto, 2010.
