By The Star Staff
State Elections Commission (SEC) Alternate Chairwoman Jessika Padilla Rivera, reiterated over the weekend that the commission’s employees do not visit voters to conduct electoral transactions of any kind.
“As we said several months ago, all Commission employees have an official identification with a photo and signature provided by the SEC that they must carry at all times while carrying out official tasks inherent to their functions,” Padilla Rivera said in a written statement. “If it is not visible to the voter, the latter has the right to demand it before starting any process to which they have freely and voluntarily agreed.”
However, volunteers from the various political parties do make visits and approach voters in various settings outside the SEC’s control, the official noted.
She said the Electoral Code of Puerto Rico (Act No. 58 of June 20, 2020) establishes, in its Article 12.3, that “Any person who obstructs, intimidates, interrupts or illegally intervenes with the electoral activities of the Commission, a Political Party or Political Action Committee, Campaign Committee or group of citizens, Aspirant, Candidate, Independent Candidate or Voter, will [have engaged in] a serious crime and, if convicted, will be punished with a prison sentence of not less than one year or more than 3 years or a fine that will not exceed five thousand dollars or both penalties at the discretion of the Court.”
Padilla Rivera informed voters that they can go to the commission and file a formal complaint in the secretariat division if they perceive any irregularity in the types of processes noted above.
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