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Karla Angleró González, the Electoral Commissioner of the Popular Democratic Party (PDP), asserted on Sunday that the extensive lines faced by voters at the State Elections Commission (SEC) are entirely the responsibility of the New Progressive Party (NPP), which abolished the Permanent Registration Boards (JIP, by its Spanish initials) as part of the Electoral Code it enacted in the previous four years.
“The NPP has crafted a deliberately inefficient system aimed at dissuading young people from participating in the electoral process,” Angleró mentioned in a press statement. “The removal of the JIPs, included in the Electoral Code Law during [the present NPP administration], represents a direct assault on voting accessibility. Furthermore, the cessation of high school enrollment visits has negatively impacted our youth. They allowed the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022 to go by without even registering them to vote, and when they finally commenced school visits, it was at an inexplicably slow pace.”
The PDP representative indicated that more than 120 public schools had not been visited by the SEC for student enrollment since the beginning of the current four-year term as of March this year.
“We are uncertain how many schools were overlooked before the students graduated” in May, Angleró remarked. “It is unacceptable that a government led by the NPP and an SEC chairperson working on its behalf allow youth to miss out on their registration opportunity.”
She emphasized that this is a matter of principles and rights.
“It’s crucial to guarantee that every individual can vote,” Angleró stated. “For those who argue that we don’t know how these young people will vote, I respond that this isn’t the issue.”
“It is a fundamental responsibility to ensure that everyone is able to exercise their voting rights,” she continued. “These young individuals must vote, and they are more inclined to support those who advocate for their rights than those who obstruct them.”
With just one week remaining until the Voter Registry closes on Saturday, Sept. 21, and with today’s deadline for early voting requests approaching, prospective voters are encountering a sluggish and resource-limited system that cannot handle the demand, Angleró noted.
She urged citizens, particularly the youth, not to feel disheartened by the long lines and significant delays in the registration process.
“This is a pivotal moment for our democracy,” Angleró emphasized. “We must not allow this to happen without the backing of those waiting to vote. The NPP continues to manipulate our voting rights. It’s time to expose these actions so that there are consequences. We must insist that every young person, every citizen, has the right to cast their vote in the upcoming elections.”
In spite of the criticisms directed at the process, interim SEC Chairwoman Jessika Padilla Rivera, on Friday, called on voters to have faith in it.
“The appeal that I always make to voters and the public is to trust in the electoral process, even if it sounds clichéd,” Padilla Rivera stated at a press conference. “We certainly need to acknowledge that with all the recent shadows cast over the State Elections Commission, I cannot [expect] voters to be without doubt, but … we are addressing that.”
She mentioned she is offering the necessary leadership “and I can confirm that each of the electoral commissioners is dedicated to every process, including area directors, registration officers, and every staff member of the State Elections Commission who are diligent employees fulfilling their roles as they should; we will work on and address any shortcomings or issues that remain unresolved.”
“Regrettably, amidst all this turmoil, a storm is anticipated,” she added. “I can only say that the evidence of our faithful adherence to the electoral calendar is demonstrated by the arrival of the JAVAA [Spanish initials for Administrative Board for Absentee and Early Voting] ballots, indicating that we are on schedule; however, it has been recorded that there are complaints and delays. … We consistently project chaos; unfortunately, we fail to highlight the positives.”
