National Electoral Council (Venezuela)
Encyclopedia
The National Electoral Council (CNE) is one of the five independent branches of government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. It is the institution that oversees and guarantees the transparency of all elections and referendums in Venezuela
at the local, regional, and national levels. The creation of the CNE was ratified by citizens in Venezuela's 1999 constitutional referendum
.
The CNE is composed mainly of five officials. They are nominated by civil society and elected by a majority vote of the unicameral National Assembly
. CNE rulings are made by a majority decision (three out of five) of the five officials.
At present, the CNE officials are: Tibisay Lucena
(CNE President, President of the National Electoral Commission), Sandra Oblitas Ruzza (Vice President, President of the Civil and Electoral Registry Commission), Vicente José Gregorio Díaz Silva (President of the Political Participation and Finance Commission), Socorro Elizabeth Hernández Hernández (Member of the National Electoral Commission) and Tania D' Amelio Cardiet (Member of the Civil and Electoral Registry Commission). The CNE also has a general secretary, Xavier Antonio Moreno Reyes, and a juridical consultant, Roberto Ignacio Mirabal Acosta.
International electoral observers and analysts have praised the CNE for its efficiency and transparency. It has updated and modernized the voter registry and voting infrastructure, and increased participation by establishing additional voting centers in underserved areas.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
at the local, regional, and national levels. The creation of the CNE was ratified by citizens in Venezuela's 1999 constitutional referendum
Venezuelan constitutional referendum, December 1999
A constitutional referendum was held in Venezuela on 15 December 1999. Voters were asked whether they approved of the new constitution drawn up by the Constitutional Assembly elected earlier in the year. The question was:...
.
The CNE is composed mainly of five officials. They are nominated by civil society and elected by a majority vote of the unicameral National Assembly
National Assembly of Venezuela
The National Assembly is the legislative branch of the Venezuelan government. It is a unicameral body made up of a variable number of members, who are elected by "universal, direct, personal, and secret" vote partly by direct election in state-based voting districts, and partly on a state-based...
. CNE rulings are made by a majority decision (three out of five) of the five officials.
At present, the CNE officials are: Tibisay Lucena
Tibisay Lucena Ramírez
Tibisay Lucena is the president of the National Electoral Council or CNE, one of the five independent branches of government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. She was first elected to this post in 2006, and was reelected in 2009 for the 2009-2013 period.-Early Life and Education:Tibisay...
(CNE President, President of the National Electoral Commission), Sandra Oblitas Ruzza (Vice President, President of the Civil and Electoral Registry Commission), Vicente José Gregorio Díaz Silva (President of the Political Participation and Finance Commission), Socorro Elizabeth Hernández Hernández (Member of the National Electoral Commission) and Tania D' Amelio Cardiet (Member of the Civil and Electoral Registry Commission). The CNE also has a general secretary, Xavier Antonio Moreno Reyes, and a juridical consultant, Roberto Ignacio Mirabal Acosta.
International electoral observers and analysts have praised the CNE for its efficiency and transparency. It has updated and modernized the voter registry and voting infrastructure, and increased participation by establishing additional voting centers in underserved areas.
History
The CNE was preceded by the Supreme Electoral Council, which was established under an electoral law on September 11, 1936. This entity was replaced by the CNE in 1997 with the passage of a new Organic Law of Suffrage and Participation.Analysis
A 2011 report by the Foundation for Democratic Advancement states, in its executive summary: "Venezuela's constitutional and legislative basis for democracy is exceptional, innovative, and progressive. [The constitution] puts significant emphasis on individual rights and societal plurality, cooperation, and respect. These core values extend consistently through Venezuela's electoral laws. Further, as a source of innovation and fairness, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council has the power legally and financially to ensure a fair diffusion of electoral propaganda, and thereby prevent wealthy citizens, legal entities, candidates, and parties from dominating electoral discourse."See also
- Venezuelan recall referendum of 2004Venezuelan recall referendum of 2004The Venezuelan recall referendum of 15 August 2004 was a referendum to determine whether Hugo Chávez, the current President of Venezuela, should be recalled from office...
- Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005Venezuelan parliamentary election, 2005The 2005 Venezuela parliamentary election took place on 4 December 2005. The election sent 167 deputies to the National Assembly of Venezuela, 12 deputies to the Latin American Parliament and 5 deputies to the Andean Parliament...
- Venezuelan presidential election, 2006Venezuelan presidential election, 2006The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela held presidential elections on 3 December 2006, to choose a president for the six-year term to begin on 10 January 2007...
- Venezuelan constitutional referendum, 2007Venezuelan constitutional referendum, 2007A constitutional referendum was held in Venezuela on 2 December 2007 to amend 69 articles of the 1999 Constitution. Reform was needed, according to Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, to implement his socialist agenda; detractors said he was using the reforms to become a dictator.The referendum was...