Amendments to 2020 Electoral Code get mixed reviews

State Elections Commission Chairman Judge Jorge Rivera Rueda

By THE STAR STAFF

Recent public hearings by the Joint Committee of the Legislature for the Review of Puerto Rico’s Electoral System brought together prominent voices, including State Elections Commission (SEC) Chairman Judge Jorge Rivera Rueda, Bar Association President Vivian Godineaux Villaronga, and former electoral commissioners from various parties. The discussions centered on Senate Bill (SB) 717, which proposes amendments to the 2020 Electoral Code aimed at improving efficiency, reliability and participation in the electoral process.

Public hearings will resume today with testimony from current party electoral commissioners and the Justice Department.

Rivera Rueda endorsed early voting for citizens aged 55 and older but urged lawmakers to clarify the location and nature of voting centers, stressing they should not coincide with permanent registration boards due to logistical concerns. He recommended that the voting centers be set up in government or municipal facilities free of charge, meeting accessibility and security standards. Additionally, he proposed that electoral balance boards within the Absentee and Early Vote Administrative Board begin operations 90 days before general elections, aligning with early voting request periods.

On closing the electoral registry, Rivera Rueda defended the 50-day cutoff before elections, citing its importance for logistical preparations. He also revealed that the SEC is finalizing a request for proposals to acquire new vote-counting machines, with procurement expected by mid-2026 to ensure readiness for the 2028 elections. Budget negotiations with the Office of Management and Budget and the Election Oversight Board are ongoing.

Former commissioners offered varied perspectives on SB 717. Vanessa Santo Domingo Cruz of the New Progressive Party supported the bill, highlighting its potential for strengthening the SEC’s administrative structure. She urged that any acquisition of technology affecting voting or ballot handling receive final approval from the commission’s plenary. Nelson Rosario Rodríguez of the Dignity Project called for a “multipartisan and multisectoral” study group to set rules for the 2032 elections, while Karla Angleró González of the Popular Democratic Party advocated for the SEC chairmanship to be tied to the majority party’s electoral commissioner.

Echoing earlier testimony, Olvin Valentín Rivera of the Citizens’ Victory Movement and Godineaux Villaronga, the Bar Association president, stressed the need for broad consensus before implementing reforms.

“Consensus has to be the pillar on which such a purpose is sustained,” Godineaux Villaronga said, criticizing the limited inclusivity of the current hearings.

Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz, author of the bill, addressed concerns raised by the Bar Association, clarifying that SB 717 does not eliminate school-based voter registration programs or restrict youth participation. He emphasized that the current Electoral Code expands registration options through electronic platforms and reaffirmed that party representation in the SEC is based on electoral results, not discretionary criteria.