The pandemic has upended Brazil’s 2020 municipal election, with congressional heads openly discussing a postponement of the vote, originally scheduled for October. The question is, when would it be safe to hold the election? Per Supreme Court Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, Brazil’s newly-inaugurated chief electoral justice, if the spread is contained the best option would be to hold the first-round late in November, with runoff races in mid-December.
Asked about the use of smartphone apps as a viable alternative to ballot boxes, Justice Barroso said it is a “priority project,” not only because of the pandemic but also as a cost-saving measure. According to him, the electoral courts have to replace between 70,000 and 80,000 electronic voting machines every two years.
According to Justice Barroso, Brazil’s internet infrastructure shortcomings would not be an obstacle to mobile phone voting, as it could be carried out via telephone lines. “One of my concerns with this voting model is maintaining the secrecy of the ballot. We do not know whether the voter will be surveilled,” said Justice Barroso. He also defended using a small town for a pilot project, but that such tests would not be carried out in this year’s election.
For the 2020 election, the number of electronic voting machines will be reduced from 430,000 to 400,000 due to a shortage of inputs from China, with the electronics sector being severely affected by the coronavirus-related Chinese slowdown. To compensate, ideas such as extending polling hours or scheduling multiple election days are being considered.
Support this coverage →The specialization trend among corporate board members It is not only a matter of perception:…
Panama will hold its presidential elections on Sunday, months after huge protests saw thousands descend…
The city of Rio de Janeiro estimates that a Madonna concert this Saturday on Copacabana…
Latin America’s trend of banning opposition candidates from elections has caught on in an ever-growing…
The São Paulo City Council on Thursday approved legislation authorizing Brazil’s largest city to sign…
The preliminary report on AI regulations presented to Brazil’s Senate last week provides a middle-of-the-road…