Citizens can’t register to vote before 2nd round in Colombia’s elections

(Photo: El Tiempo)

Citizens of Colombia eligible to vote will not be able to sign up to vote for the second presidential round on June 15 if they haven’t already done so, the National Registry reported today.

Citizens will not be allowed to sign up to vote if they did not previously do so before the hotly contested June 15 presidential election.

The second round on June 15 is between incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos and ultra-right candidate from former President Uribe’s Democratic Center Party, Oscar Ivan Zuluaga.

Latest polls put the two candidates neck and neck.

MORE: Zuluaga takes lead, Santos closes gap: Polls divided over Colombia election outcome

Citizens were allowed to register their identification cards from March 9, 2013 to March 25, 2014. During this period, 20,084,448 citizens registered to vote in the presidential and congressional elections.

Despite this, voter turnout in the first round of elections was low, with three in five eligible voters staying home for the first round.

MORE: Nearly 60% of voters stay home for Colombia elections

Sources

Related posts

Former top Petro aide jailed amid corruption probe

Former Medellin Cartel boss te return to Colombia on December 12

Colombia’s police raid 11 prisons in attempt to curb extortion