Llajtaymanta

Monday, January 26, 2009

VOTING IN THE REFERENDUM

It was about 13:30 when I went to vote in my neighbourhood´s school in El Alto, La Paz. Fortunately, as I supposed it was not crowded as it used to be earlier in the morning for example. I approached the table where I had to vote, once checked my ID I had to sign in a kind of book. I was given the voting paper with a pen and I entered to one of the classrooms to vote. I came out of the classroom and put the voting paper on a box, after that my finger was marked with a violet ink and I was returned my ID and my suffrage certificate.
Voting in Bolivia is always on Sunday. Voting here is cumpolsory and one needs to present the certificate in banks and to make other transactions. During voting day there is no transportation, only, authorized cars can circulate, so, it is also an opportunity for families to be together, to speak with friends and neighbors.
Voting generally lasts 8 hours. So, more or at 16:30, the counting process begins. Votes are counted and verified one by one and they are registered on a blackboard.
This time, we voted for a new Political Constitution. It is the first time since 1825 that all the bolivian citizenship had the possibility to vote for a Constitution. This a change, a big change leaded by President Evo Morales.

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