Bolivia Announces 6.5 Million Will Vote in Referendum

Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal says 6.5 million people are registered to vote in February’s national referendum.

The data shows that there has been a 3 percent increase in the number of new voters since the last referendum in September 2015.

It’s compulsory to vote in Bolivian elections. The referendum on Feb. 21 will ask voters whether they want to amend the constitution and abolish the two-term limit for the head of state. If it’s approved, President Evo Morales will be able to seek re-election in the next elections scheduled for 2019.

This is the first time that campaigners do not have to register to campaign in an election.

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Thirty-seven organizations have registered to campaign: 22 support the “Yes” side, which seeks to modify the constitution, while 15 will campaign in favor of the “No” side.

Those that do register are entitled to benefit from free campaign publicity in state broadcast and print outlets.

“No” campaigners have raised doubts about the accuracy of the electoral poll and have called for an audit of the entire process.

But the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, which oversees the election, rejected the accusations and expressed confidence in the system.

"We can ensure not only the reliability of our data but also the access to this information by any citizen,’’ says Katia Uriona, president of the Tribunal. “The statistical information will be available online and this shows the transparency of this referendum.”

Evo Morales was elected to a second term in 2014 by winning more than 60 percent of the vote. Bolivia’s first Indigenous president, Morales still enjoys an approval rating in the mid-60s.

One recent survey by Bolivian TV station Unitel revealed that the majority of people responded that they would vote “yes” in the referendum, while 1 percent of those interviewed also supported amendments to the constitution. Just 37 percent of individuals opposed the proposed changes.

For the “Yes” and “No” campaigns, the final month will be crucial to convince voters to side with them.

In the streets of La Paz, Santa Cruz, Sucre and Tarija, it’s still business as usual. There’s no campaigning taking place, no posters on buildings pleading with people to vote “yes” or “no.”

This is all likely to change from February 1 when the free publicity period will officially begin for registered campaigners.