In spite of various moves by the municipal electoral boards and both houses of Congress to convince them to stay at their posts and organize the 1998 municipal and local elections, the judges of the 1996 Central Electoral Board (JCE) have decided to step down effective 27 October. The 1996 JCE, headed by Dr. Cesar Estrella Sadhala, was highly praised for its work in this year’s presidential election, which was considered the most organized and honest in the last 30 years.
The judges were chosen by the Senate in October, 1994 for a term of two years, but their sterling work merited requests from many in and outside government that they stay on for another two years. The official resignations of Dr. Estrella Sadhala, Juan Sully Bonnelly, Aura Celeste Fernandez, Luis Mora and Rafael Vallejo will be accepted by the president of the Senate, Amably Aristy Castro.
The upper body of Congress will now have the important task of selecting and ratifying a new JCE, which will organize the 1998 local elections.