Peruvians are less than a month to elect a new president, new Congress and new representatives to the Andean Parliament. The stated date is Sunday 10 April. In Peru, voting is a right and an obligation. So says our Constitution. This means that for the Peruvians, voting is compulsory. From time to see it as an imposition, I think we have almost forgotten the privilege it is to choose. I say this because for many, voting is a heavy burden, almost as bad as going to the dentist.
I think it should be.
All this reflection came following a comment I made a friend of mine who has been drawn as a board member. I'm third alternate I said, I'll see what invention not to go .
As a brief explanation for non-Peruvians, weeks before any election, the electoral body circumvents the voters who will be board members. There are six voters per table: three starters, three alternates. The advertised well in advance, they are given training, they are given credentials. These six voters must be in the polling station before 8 am, set the table between us all and vote. The three owners are left on the table, the three alternates are free to go. That
in an ideal world. But in the real world, sometimes the table must be opened with minimum of three members, and if they do not become three, the law says that the table is completed by the voters in the queue.
See your name in the list of board members is not exactly pleasant. I have been a board member twice: the first time I voted in 1990, and 11 years later, in 2001. In 1990 my position was the second owner, but in the absence of the president, I had to assume office. In 2001, I went raffled as the chairman of the board. After
deny my "bad" luck, both times I took my role.
In 1990, Peru lived times of terror. I remember the school where I had to vote was protected by armed soldiers near to the teeth. If the thing was so in Lima, do not want to imagine what it must have been in the highlands.
The voting ended at 4 pm. At this time we start counting votes, ended after 10 pm. It was tedious, had to count all the ballots, complete and sign the minutes and put each in their respective envelopes. Then, each board chairman should take his amphora from the polling center collection in each district. I had to wait with my jar to reach the bus which would take us, which arrived after 11 pm.
Between that and leave the jar I struck midnight. Very sheltered, yes, but after leaving the jar is just the ticket. Near midnight on a Sunday in elections in time of terrorism, I had no more than walking the 20 blocks that had been to my house.
In 2001, things were very different. After the election, at 4 pm, also began the tedious counting of votes, to finish at about 7 pm. Once all the envelopes closed, I gave the jar to the manager of the electoral body. We did not have to take it to any storage facility, would collect the respective authorities for each voting center.
imagine that with each new election, come improvements in the system.
know people older than me who has never been a member of table. I know people who have been more than once, like me. I understand that it's annoying to be chosen for this tareíta, I admit that I myself have denied my luck. I do not understand is that there are people who simply will not fulfill its obligation. Unless there is good reason for such absence is a tremendous irresponsibility. We all want
tracks without potholes, traffic lights functioning, efficient state institutions. To achieve this, we should start working to get everything we want. And comply with mandatory membership table is part of that collaboration.
Finally, once there, it is best to see the funny side. Because everything has its funny side. Trust me.
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