• Submitted by: admin
• national
• Society
• Politics and Government
• 04 / 25 / 2010

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HAVANA – Cuba held elections to fill municipal assemblies across the island on Sunday in a vote the Cuban government says belies criticism in Washington and Europe that Fidel Castro's half-century old revolution is not democratic.

Almost all of Cuba's 8.4 million eligible voters were expected to turn out for the vote — which will choose 15,000 people to fill seats in 169 municipal assemblies.

Those elected won't be dealing with big geopolitical issues such as how to thaw frozen relations with the United States, or what measures must be taken to revitalize the economy. Instead, they will be the first point of contact most Cubans have with their government, the person to see if electricity service is spotty or if the neighbors are making too much noise.

The municipal assemblies also have some role in electing those who will fill more important bodies including the regional assemblies and the national parliament, which in turn decides who will serve on the Council of State, Cuba's supreme
governing body.

As president, Raul Castro is head of the Council of State. His brother Fidel, who stepped down permanently in 2008 after an undisclosed illness, remains leader of the Communist Party.

Cuba's leaders have charged that the international news media ignore the local voting as part of a global campaign to discredit the revolution.

They say their system is, in fact, the most democratic in the world because it requires participation on a block-by-block level and is not influenced by money.

While candidates do not need to be members of the Communist Party, the vast majority are in good standing with local authorities. The nomination process is done by a show of hands.

Campaigning is outlawed in Cuba, so voters learn about the candidates based either on word of mouth in the community or through a resume and photograph pasted onto the walls of voting centers.

As in other countries, each voter places a check mark by the name of the candidate they want, and the balloting is secret.

While participation is not mandatory, it is widely encouraged.

Cubans 16 years of age or older can vote, and even younger schoolchildren play a role. Each ballot box is "guarded" by two children dressed in their school uniforms.

In 2007, the last time municipal elections were held, turnout topped 95 percent.

Results were expected Monday. A run-off to decide elections in which no candidate received at least 50 percent of the vote will be held on May 2.

Source: Yahoo