Runoff Elections in Eastern Cuba

HAVANA TIMES — The second round of elections of delegates to municipal assemblies in the cities of Santiago de Cuba and Palma Soriano will take place this Sunday, announced the National Electoral Commission on Wednesday.

A third round will be also take place this Sunday in one district of the municipality of Segundo Frente, in Santiago Province, reported the Granma newspaper.

If a third round is not required in any other district, this will end the island’s municipal elections, which were extended this year in the eastern region due to Hurricane Sandy.

The vast majority of the neighborhood delegates were elected in the first round of elections, held on October 21, but in districts where no candidate received more than 50 percent of the votes, a second round is held between the two candidates that received the most votes. If they tie, they go on to a third round.

According to supporters of the Cuban government, these local elections of delegates are the cornerstone of what they consider a highly democratic system.