A TSE magistrate urged not to cut funding for audits and said he would heed any eventual enhancement offers.
The Legislative Assembly’s Finance Committee on Monday provided $129.3 million in funding for the 2024-2029 general elections of 3,206 officials, including the president, to be held at home and abroad from January to March 2024. Approved three comments to
The ad hoc budget for domestic elections amounts to $70,250,480. A second special budget to adopt electronic voting abroad at $59,066,690. And a reform that he will inject $92,823,415 as the first expense into the 2023 budget.
Approval was given after the Supreme Electoral Court (TSE) indicated it had already cut the provisional budget for domestic elections, but cuts to the provisional budget for elections abroad had not yet been detailed. rice field.
But while the magistrate expressed a willingness to use available resources, TSE president Dora de Barajona assured him that he would follow the promises of Finance Minister Alejandro Zelaya. “Reinforce the budget” if it exceeds the expenses.
If you want, please accept my congratulations before they try to trap me on the exit here. Julios Olivo, Judge of the Tokyo Stock Exchange
national plan.
Cuts in election budgets in the country mean a cut of $19.4 million, cut from $89.4 million to $70.2 million, according to the Tokyo Stock Exchange’s secretary general.
According to figures provided by TSE technicians, the biggest cut in national elections will be the transmission of primary election results, from $28.7 million to $22.5 million. $8 million to $4.9 million for election communications; $6.2 million to $4.6 million for final scrutiny. The other largest reduction was in senior management support, which went from $531,425 to $153,626.
The Voter Inclusion and Equity Program will be reduced from $266,420 to $124,525. Administrative, financial and IT audits performed by TSE will be reduced from $93,125 to $33,507.
Electoral training budgets will also be reduced from $3.5 million to $2.8 million.
The amounts allocated for public consultation, voter roll building, party attention, and nonpartisan candidacy were items that did not undergo significant changes. The technician explained that they were “adjusting the budget” for the acquisition of goods and services.
We have a responsibility not to come here to talk about ghosts, and we are all concerned that these elections are legitimate, efficient, and legal. ” New Ideas Deputy Director Suecy Callejas
Plan outdoors.
A cut in the special budget for overseas voting is not clear.
This budget was reduced from the requested $70.7 million to $59.06 million.
Of the $59,066,690, $1,020,960 will go to compensation and $58 million will go to e-voting and hiring an audit firm. The TSE’s initial calculations say the contract with the e-voting company will cost him about $53 million, and the audit of the e-voting system will cost him $7 million.
Conflict.
Magistrate Julio Olivo called for audit funding not to be cut, but Nuevas Ideas representatives said they wanted to question the credibility of the process.
Deputy William Soriano said citizens did not have the power to “perform a coup” in June 2022 when a magistrate pointed out that “the popularity or majority of the Salvadoran people have the power to re-elect the president.” I even reminded Olivo when I said yes. .
Suecy Callejas, who also represents Nuevas Ideas, has already complained to Olivo about his “ignorance” about cuts in election budgets and won’t talk about ghosts because he cares about “legal, efficient and just” elections. I was urging you to .
“Before they catch me at the exit,” Olivo said when he congratulated lawmakers who pushed for the vote abroad, denying it was meant to cast doubt on the electoral process. When Soriano interrupted him, the head of the Nuevas Idea faction reprimanded him.
Edgardo Mulato also mentioned the dismissal power that the Legislative Assembly has. “At the moment it is the only second level body that we have not removed and we have not made any mention of wanting to change it. The Salvadorans have given us an ordination,” he said, but the TSE magistrate was again denied a say.
3 facts you should know
1.- Inspection and monitoring
The budget allocated for election administration is $815,557. Opponents of the Oversight Committee say that is not enough.
2.- Audit of referendums
The court plans an administrative, financial, and information audit of $33,507. $93,125 without trim.
3.- 3 External Voting Audits
Three external voting audits will be conducted: registration, voting system and scrutiny. TSE calculates he costs $7 million.
Source: Diario Elmundo
