Elections

This sunday, September 30th, is election day for Ecuador's new constitutional assembly, asamblea constituyente. The first time I heard about it there were something like 300 prospective candidates, and I think now it's still a large number like 70-something. Honestly, I'm totally unsure about any of the numbers, but Ecuador is electing a group of citizens to re-write the constitution. Anyone citizen over 18 can run, and the campaigns are paid for by the government. The candidates are not allowed to spend more than the allotted government amount, and had to finish all campaigning on Wednesday. There have been signs everywhere, radio ads, TV ads, graffiti, parades, all kinds of campaigning going on since we got here, but the last week has been crazy. When we traveled to smaller towns and passed through the countryside, it seemed like there wasn't a single brick wall without a candidate's name and number. Fascinating. It's kind of an interesting way to encourage a variety of candidates, and a new approach to eliminating the birthright factor.

The manner of voting is another story... my host sister, Diana, is "president" of a table at USFQ. The voting happens at schools, similar to how it happens in Idaho, but there is a table of students who regulate the voting. The president of the table has the ultimate say as to whether or not a vote is valid, and can choose to ask the assistance of the others at the table or not. Their job is to stay at the table all day, checking identification, handing out ballots, and explaining how to vote if a voter is unsure. I think they have a part in the tallying of votes, too.

My mind immediately jumps to all of the possible fraud... but that's how it is! Because there are so many candidates, the names are organized in lists, and voters are encouraged to just vote for an entire list. I think, I think, if one chooses to vote for half a list, or individuals from various lists, the votes are worth less. Something like that... I haven't done an research yet; I've just listened to conversations among family members and professors and asked questions when I could.

ALSO, there's a law in place called la ley seca, or the dry law. From noon today until noon on Monday it is prohibited to sell or consume alcohol of any kind in public. Therefore, all of the discotecs, clubs, and bars are closed all weekend, because they make their money in licor.

Once elected, the members will work on re-writing, eliminating, adding to the constitution, and then bring it back to the country to vote on the changes. I believe Ecaudor's had something like 10 constitutions, and nobody really knows if anything will change or not. Some of the hot issues on the table are gay rights, abortion, government spending, education... I don't know how long the revision process will take, but I'm very interested to see the outcomes. Homosexuality was illegal, ILLEGAL until 1997. Abortion is currently illegal, and I don't see that changing any time soon with 93% of the population registered devout catholic.

There is definitely more than one way to do everything! We're headed for Mindo this weekend, which is probably a very good idea. Everybody tells me that Quito is going to be crazy--lots of traffic, people protesting and rallying in the streets, tensions high, and probably a lot of ignorant tourists who will wish they had stayed inside instead of venturing out into the chaos. We'll be hiking mountains to beautiful waterfalls, taking pictures of butterflies and hummingbirds. Aaaahhh...