TSE qualifies as “successful” simulation of broadcast performed with the same software to use election day | News from El Salvador

Magistrates of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal, after resetting the data transmission, observed the development of the process from different voting centers. The Court emphasized that no emergency had been issued and that the simulation of the transfer of election results was carried out normally.

The magistrates held a press conference at 7 p.m. where they evaluated the development of the exercise. At 8pm, Magistrate Julio Olivo said the trial was considered a “success” as they completed 80% of the records sent.

The collegiate body rejected President Bukele’s allegations of a “false simulation”. The TSE denied information the president replied saying that there was a “system failure emergency” declared. “What the president has said is wrong, or those who informed him are wrong,” said Olivo.

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In addition, TSE engineers reported that the software in use today is the same as it was on Feb. 28.

The IT committee engineer, Eduardo Lozano, pointed out that the results are satisfactory, that the system has worked, both the software and the equipment: “As an IT field, we are satisfied with the results, informing the public that the TSE he is ready for the elections on February 28 ”.

Judge Olivo also pointed out that there is a right to electoral scrutiny by political parties, “but they cannot hinder the work of the Supreme Election Court.”

Magistrate Olivo added that attacks have been received on the system; that a computer security company has been hired and that the arrival of the National Cryptological Center of Spain is expected.

Verification of data transmission using table technology

In the afternoon. the president of the TSE, Dora Esmeralda Martínez; and TSE magistrate Noel Orellana arrived at the Concha Viuda de Escalón Educational Complex to observe the use of technology on the table.

Judge Orellana emphasized that several institutions, such as the Office of the Attorney for the Defense of Human Rights and the Office of the Prosecution, also observed the handover process in the voting centers, and the same members of the technical support who used the said equipment they were not there, there were errors sending the files.

Magistrate Orellana also spoke about the hygiene protocol for Feb. 28, saying they will have the supplies and the purchase contract is underway.

“We approved it this week, we believe at the end of the week that (they will approve it), remember that these (supplies) should go within the election package, the alcohol gel, gloves, protective masks, all those resources that will be used by the members who will form the voting councils, ”said Judge Orellana.

He said people who have a fever can vote when they arrive at polling stations, as the constitution does not prevent a Salvadoran from voting, who can vote under health protection measures.

“We are going to take all preventive measures. The counselors will have to indicate the measures that all people who come to polling stations should take. It cannot be limited to one person, no matter how high the temperature, it is a constitutional right and “therefore they will be given facilities,” Magistrate Orellana said.

This Sunday, the 50 Voting Centers in San Salvador will be open at 7 a.m. to receive parcels.

In the afternoon, the collegiate entity reset the system to start sending minutes from 4:00 pm from the 1,595 voting centers across the country.

“We hope everything goes well that the problems of the previous exercise don’t materialize, because that’s what this type of test is for,” said Karina Barahona, the president of San Salvador’s municipal electoral council.

In this exercise, the collegiate entity attempted to resolve printer and internet signal issues that occurred during last Sunday’s first test. “The truth is that for the data entry, there were no issues, they were more technical and we hope it is resolved at this point, at least the majority,” said Barahona.

During a tour of El Diario de Hoy through a number of polling stations, it became clear in the Inframen that a team of five people participated in the simulation of the transfer of results. There, the day started without complications, with the reception of the technology that will be used in every JRV.

“We studied the results transmission equipment consisting of a laptop, printer, scanner, gun projector and the power and data supply cables,” said Boris Espinosa, TSE facilitator. It is a JRV technology team, there are 8,481 nationally.

First the minutes of Assembly representatives were submitted, then of the Central American Parliament, and finally of mayors. According to Espinosa, the use of table-top technology cuts data processing time in half.

“In the previous processes it was done and it was very subject to human error. With the system the brands are entered and the system places the value percentage directly with each candidate ”, says Espinosa.

On the other hand, at the Albert Camus Institute of San Salvador, the technology package was not opened in the morning, because the assignment was to start the exercise until 1 p.m. At 1:00 PM the packages are opened for viewing, then at 4:00 PM the review process starts and ends with the broadcast, ”said engineer Julio Pineda.

According to Pineda, the use of technology will make the minutes easier to read, unlike when they were filled in by hand and the last copies were no longer distinguished.

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TSE’s logistics manager in Ahuachapán, Jessenia Lemus, said they had already shipped all routes with the transmission simulation equipment by 9:45 AM. They started at six in the morning.

Lack of connection to the Internet, lack of information and absence of members who should be in the data transfer were some points to be corrected during the exercise conducted at the voting center at the Isidro Menéndez School Center, in Ahuachapán.

The transmission equipment was received at 10:00 am and although it was properly connected, when attempting to enter the system, it gave the notification of an internet error. After nearly ten minutes of testing and a phone call, the transmission assistant managed to enter the phase of “seizure of passenger cars belonging to members of the JRV”.

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The process was carried out by the technical support assistant, José García, as the person in charge had not arrived at the polling station. The exercise of the previous Sunday was not carried out on site, as the person who should have received the equipment was also not present.

The person in charge of the voting center, Rosa Zepeda, indicated that she knew the simulation of data transmission would take place on Sunday morning; but that they told him on arrival at the school that it would be until noon.

He added that a new data transmission simulation is planned next Sunday; but with the presence of the members of the JRV.

Due to internet disruptions on the island of Conchagüita, minutes could not be sent

Failure to connect to the internet system in the island canton of Conchagüita, Meanguera del Golfo in La Unión, made it difficult to transmit data from the voice center in that city.

According to technical support assistants, they explained that in the case of the island of Conchagüita, the data will be sent by the Directorate Electoral Organization (DOE), a delegation from La Unión.

In the polling station of the José Pantoja Jr. educational complex, in the city of La Unión, the data was sent within 20 minutes, while in the canton of Las Maderas it was not sent due to the lack of a modem.

Guadalupe Marthel, technical support assistant, said the data was sent in most of the voting centers in La Unión. According to Marthel, in the case of Conchagüita Island, the transmission people come to the reference point in the DOE, they will broadcast there.

Training day

This Sunday, the TSE also provided training for the people who will form the JRVs.

Edwin Escobar attended his first practice today, after realizing he had been selected. “I didn’t know, my wife went to have a look and we realized that. They say they report it in writing, but no one has told me,” said the citizen.

He claims he has never taken part in a JRV, but this time he will have to take on the role. “It is assumed that for not being present you will be fined and have to pay, and how do you pay, with these economic conditions?”

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Helen Cornejo is also attending an election event for the first time as part of the JRV and believes that the trainings are delivered in a simple, fluid and concise manner.

“It’s opened our eyes to technology, and that’s what we’re going to use. They also send us to study the Code to defend our votes and instruct us to know what we will do on election day, ”explained Cornejo.

Do you know how to vote in the next election? Practice in the TSE simulator

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On Sunday, February 7, the TSE put the use of technology to the test for the first time with the transmission of data from the voting centers, where there were some failures that they consider surmountable.

Some TSE magistrates have defended the workings of the system against allegations from political parties such as GANA and New Ideas, which have questioned the effectiveness of the team. This view is also reflected in statements by TSE president Dora Esmeralda Martínez, who said she would propose to the electoral body to revert to the manual form.

Contrary to the questions, Judge Guillermo Wellman in the Legislative Assembly Election Committee assured that the electoral process will be transparent and reliable.