Team Photos from the Polls/Polling Day - El Salvador

As you may know, national elections were completed in El Salvador this week (and our team was on site). A second round of voting is scheduled for March, the run off will be between FMLA (who received 49% of ) and ARENA (received 38%). SHARE is looking for election observer delegates for this second round of voting; if you are interested in a possible Peace Team for this event, please contact Nicole (MPT) at NicoleR.mpt@gmail.com.

We (the MPT Election Monitoring Peace Team) were stationed at the polling station when the current president of El Salvador cast his vote, and captured this video.

During our orientation to election observation, we learned the specifics of the process of the processes used at the voting stations...everything from checking IDs with pictures from the official lists, to the way unused ballots are counted and returned in taped boxes. We saw these methods implemented at the polls on polling day.

We'd like to share some of the photography/documentation we collected.

Notably, see below photos of unclear ballots that are in dispute, and also a small 'drone' flying machine that dropped illegal party-specific confetti inside the polling place.

As we arrived early morning, national news were already on site at polling stations. 

An image of exuberance/nationalism at the polls.

Election Monitors/SHARE gather at polling station - before dawn!

Setting up inside the polling station.

Setting up inside the polling station.

Polling equipment. 

Checking ID's at the polling place.

Polling supplies.

Setting up inside the polling station.

Checking ID's and following procedure at the polling station.

Support for a certain party.

Small 'drone aircraft' presumedly deployed to get attention for a certain party, that dropped illegal FMLN confetti on the polling station.

Outside the polling place, later in the day.

Voters lined up.

 

Unclear ballots are in dispute.

Unclear ballots are in dispute.