For the simulated elections on August 26 in preparation for the country’s presidential race, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE) will install 4,832 voting machines complete with ballots and the equipment of the Integrated Authentication System, which identifies voters electronically by fingerprinting.

This will guarantee that registered voters can test out the system and familiarize themselves with the electoral platform ahead of the October 7 elections.

According to a CNE press release, the simulation will be carried out in 1,082 of the country’s 1,136 parishes and in 329 of the 335 municipalities.

There will be a total of 1,553 voting centers, 55 of which will make available to voters the entire process exactly as it will occur on the day of the elections. The rest will simply test the Integrated Authentication System and the ballot with the use of the wider LED screens designed for this year’s vote, but will not do any tallying.

According to the CNE, 1,341 back-up voting machines will be available.

The event will allow the CNE to evaluate the functioning of all the steps in the electoral process including data transmission, rapid assistance centers, national tallying centers and the logistical and deployment capacity.

Venezuelan voters may find out which voting center they have been assigned to for the simulation by visiting the CNE’s website: www.cne.gob.ve.

AVN / Press – Venezuelan Embassy to the U.S. / August 15, 2012