The Junta Central Electoral, the organization in charge of organizing the congressional and municipal election of May 16, 1998, said that Central Government officers seeking to be elected to congressional or municipal posts will have to provisionally resign from their responsibilities or request a leave of absence from the Executive Branch effective no later than 17 March. About 20 government officers will be affected by the measure announced by the president of the JCE, Dr. Juan Sully Bonnelly. March 16 is the deadline for the parties to register their candidates for the elections. The measure is taken so that government officers cannot take advantage of government resources during their final campaign days.
