The president of the National Electoral Council Marco Emilio Hincapie said Thursday that the council has so far detected more than 1,500 irregularities in the votes cast in Colombia’s congressional elections in the Cauca deparment alone, with more votes cast than voters registered.
Hincapie said that the number of votes cast rose by in 36% in the March 14 elections, in comparison to past congressional elections.
Hincapie also said that candidates who had received zero votes in the pre-count, now had one or two votes in hundreds of voting stations.
According to Hincapie, this could potentially affect congressional seats. The council president said that some congressmen may have to cede their seats to other candidates.
Hincapie’s revelations following the revision of ballot papers in eleven Cauca municipalities on Thursday.
Hincapie also believes that the Colombian election system has “sprung a leak” and has grave failings.