Ecuador: Subnational Elections Campaign Enters Final Stage

On Sunday, 13 million Ecuadorians will elect mayors, prefects, and other subnational authorities in an election in which 61,850 candidates are competing.

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Citizens are also summoned to participate in an eight-question referendum proposed by President Guillermo Lasso, whose credibility continues to deteriorate due to corruption scandals at the highest level.

For these subnational elections, 276 political formations nominated candidates who have been trying to win the sympathy of the population in the last 31 days.

The political campaign, however, will conclude on Thursday and the candidates must respect the electoral silence prior to the vote on Sunday.

Ecuadorians will elect 5,660 new authorities, including 221 mayors, 23 provincial prefects, 1,307 urban and rural municipal councilors, and 4,109 parish council members.

Voters will also elect seven members of the Council for Citizen Participation and Social Control (CPCCS) and must accept or reject the eight questions of the Lasso referendum, which are related to issues such as security, democracy or environment.

Some 5,497 citizens who are in prison began voting on Thursday. In Ecuador, voting is mandatory for citizens over the age of 18, but it is optional for young people between the ages of 16 and 18, military, police, and adults over 65.

Interior Minister indicated that some 52,000 police and 53,000 soldiers will preserve security in the electoral precincts on Sunday.