(PRESS RELEASE) – Although it is preliminary data, 7,608,434 Cubans exercised their right to vote on Sunday, representing 85.94% of the total, after updating the lists, which accounted for 8 855 213 voters, Alina Balseiro Gutiérrez, president of the National Electoral Commission (CEN) informed in a press conference.

He noted, regarding the quality of the vote, that 91.79% of the ballots were valid, a figure that exceeds the results of the previous process, while 4.12% were deposited in blank and 4.07% were canceled. The provinces with the best valid ballot indexes were Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo, Las Tunas, Granma and Sancti Spíritus. Alina Balseiro reiterated that 24 365 schools were activated and that due to the heavy rains in some territories, the CEN decided to extend until 7:00 p.m. the closing time of the votes.

11 415 delegates were elected. 1 100 districts, of the 12 515 existing, will go next Sunday to the second round of elections, because in these cases there was a tie or none of the candidates won more than half of the valid votes issued. Of the delegates elected, he said, 35.47% are women and 14.36% are young.