Today was Election Day in Ecuador (presidential and parliamentary)! Rafael Correa is now officially elected for a third term, which is unsurprising, as the majority of the country has been in support of him (though that doesn’t include my host mom).
Since I was curious to see how elections here compare to elections in the United States, I accompanied my host mom to the polls. It turns out that Ecuadorian elections are quite similar to American elections; however, there are still some differences:
1. In the United States, polling places are assigned based on your address. Here in Ecuador, they are assigned based on last name (although it may also be based on address).
2. Starting at noon on Friday and continuing until tomorrow, the Ecuadorian government imposes una ley seca (a dry law). This way, there is no danger of people showing up to vote drunk.
3. In Ecuador, if you are over 18, and not a police officer or member of the military, it is mandatory to vote. You’re even issued a card that you also need to have in order to buy a car, buy a house, and do a lot of other important stuff. In addition, if you don’t vote, you get fined.
4. The polling places here are old school—no electronic machines. Instead, there are cardboard boxes with slots cut in the top in which you drop a piece of paper that has your choices marked down.
5. After voting, you must write your signature on a sheet of paper with your name, and further validate it with your fingerprint.
For more information about the results of the election, check out the following link:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/18/ecuador-election-rafael-correa-victory
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Claire Fishman
<p><span style="color: rgb(29, 29, 29); font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(237, 237, 237);">Claire Fishman is a junior at Brandeis University, majoring in Psychology. Outside of class, she enjoys singing with the university’s chorus and playing flute with a student orchestra. Her hobbies include reading, writing, cooking. Claire has traveled to Central America twice (Costa Rica and Honduras), but this will be her first time in South America. Despite having grown up in a large city, she loves spending time in nature, and looks forward to exploring the biodiversity of Ecuador. As someone who loves to travel and try new things, Claire is thrilled to be embarking on this adventure!</span></p>
