Over 1.5 mn Cubans vote in municipal elections

HAVANA - More than 1.5 million Cubans in 166 municipalities have voted in the second round of municipal elections, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) said.

NEC president Ana Maria Mari Machado said 5,900 polling stations were set up for the polls Sunday, Xinhua reported.

In Cuba, municipal elections are held every two-and-a-half-years and general elections every five years.

On April 25, about 8.5 million people voted in the first round of elections to select new representatives to the People Power Assemblies in the country’s 169 constituencies.

According to Cuban Electoral Law, candidates who fail get 50 percent of the votes in the first round can try in a second attempt.

“The massive turnout in the elections is a response to the false media campaign launched by the US and their allies against the democratic character of our revolution,” said Mari Machado.

Cuban leaders Fidel and Raul Castro voted in the first round. Due to health reason, Fidel sent his vote in a sealed envelope to the polling station in his constituency.