The Central Electoral Board announced on 14 December 2015 that it would extend the deadline for the issuing of the new ID and voting card to 15 January 2015. The decision was made at the request of three political parties, the PLD, PRD and PRM. The ID centers are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, Saturdays from 8 to 4pm and Sundays and holidays from 8 to 2pm.
Today, Tuesday 15 December 2015 was the last day for people to obtain their new identity card (cedula) to be able to vote in the May 2016 general election. The Central Electoral Board (JCE) had been warning that anyone who had not obtained the new card would not be able to vote.
However, on several previous occasions, the JCE had also announced a deadline and then given an extension.
According to the JCE, 600,000 people have still not renewed their cedula.
The JCE says that the lack of urgency on the part of the public is due to a lack of involvement by political parties who are not motivating their supporters to obtain the new card to allow them to vote.