Venezuelans Gather for Electoral Fairs and Voting Machines Audit

Published: 10/01/2012

Yesterday marked the conclusion of the electoral fairs established by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) throughout the country to familiarize the public with the automated voting system. Over 800,000 Venezuelans went to these fairs to test out the voting machines in advance of the presidential elections on October 7.

The fairs were located in all states throughout the country, and consisted of 1,500 information booths equipped with voting machines, the integrated authentication system to prevent voter fraud, the electronic ballot, and the equipment and systems used to vote.

They were located in plazas, metro stations in the capital city of Caracas, shopping malls, boulevards and other public spaces.

Voting Machines Audited

Meanwhile, more than 600 registered voters in Venezuela gathered to participate in the CNE’s last audit to the voting machines. At the event, 200 machines were audited, and voters were allowed to test them out in groups of four. The CNE’s president, Tibisay Lucena, said that this was the first time audits have been carried out in the presence of voters.

On this occasion, the presence of voters was required because of the implementation of the integrated authentication system, which uniquely identified voters using fingerprinting.

“This audit is the most important, right before the presidential elections. The Venezuelans that were convened were in good spirits and we thanked them very much for the commitment they demonstrated,” Lucena said, adding that the active participation of citizens is an achievement “of the electoral branch and the people.”

AVN / Press Office of the Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / October 1, 2012