On Wednesday, education began for those who will be members of the electoral committees on August 20, 2023. The State Electoral Council (SEC) will conduct the training until the day of the election, according to the official calendar.

It is unrealistic that on that last date a training can be held that is personally convened in 24 provincial electoral delegations and at authorized locations in each jurisdiction. This is a point that should be transparent: On August 20, the members of the boards for which they are voting cannot go to training; they must be installed in the housings to which they are assigned. It’s a matter of common sense.

Learn more about training sites and schedules for electoral committee members in Guayas

Another point is notification and responsibility to know who is selected. In extraordinary elections such as these that are approaching, there must be transversal cooperation. You can’t just wait for a warning from the CNE; citizens can and should carry out appropriate consultations. To find out if a person has been appointed to the electoral committee and training places in each province, you can consult the institution’s website www.cne.gob.ec.

There is no possibility of arguing ignorance. A citizen who does not attend mandatory training will be fined 10% of the uniform basic salary: $45. And then other values ​​are added for not joining the table on election day, for not voting, or for leaving and leaving.

On August 20, the CNE began printing 39.6 million ballots for that process

It is not just about punishments, which are an unsympathetic burden for anyone. Here is democratic contribution, civic responsibility, duty to the country. They may seem like commonplaces, but it should be remembered that just as political parties are required to nominate honest candidates, those chosen to integrate electoral committees must be prepared not to make mistakes, to work transparently and to ultimately spend the day in peace and results without any doubt. (OR)