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| Botched Primary Election Creates New Crisis in Puerto Rico: ‘This Is a Travesty’ | Botched Primary Election Creates New Crisis in Puerto Rico: ‘This Is a Travesty’ |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Puerto Rico officials on Monday were struggling to reschedule a chaotic primary election that was partially suspended over the weekend when paper ballots failed to reach voting precincts across the island, making it impossible for many people to vote. | Puerto Rico officials on Monday were struggling to reschedule a chaotic primary election that was partially suspended over the weekend when paper ballots failed to reach voting precincts across the island, making it impossible for many people to vote. |
| Some voters waited for hours on Sunday in the sweltering August heat, risking exposure to the coronavirus, which has surged in Puerto Rico. Trucks intended to bring ballots to far-flung corners of the island remained idle in San Juan, the capital. By 2 p.m., the island’s electoral commission and two main political parties suspended the vote in polling places where no ballots had arrived. | Some voters waited for hours on Sunday in the sweltering August heat, risking exposure to the coronavirus, which has surged in Puerto Rico. Trucks intended to bring ballots to far-flung corners of the island remained idle in San Juan, the capital. By 2 p.m., the island’s electoral commission and two main political parties suspended the vote in polling places where no ballots had arrived. |
| Voting will resume in those precincts this coming Sunday, the commission and parties agreed. The primary is supposed to determine the candidates for governor, Legislature and municipal mayors ahead of the general election in November. | Voting will resume in those precincts this coming Sunday, the commission and parties agreed. The primary is supposed to determine the candidates for governor, Legislature and municipal mayors ahead of the general election in November. |
| The decision to suspend and reschedule part of the election caused widespread confusion. Candidates immediately cried foul and questioned how ballots already cast would be secured and counted as photos of vote tallies from precincts where ballots had already been cast appeared on social media. At least one candidate for governor filed a lawsuit. So did the American Civil Liberties Union. | The decision to suspend and reschedule part of the election caused widespread confusion. Candidates immediately cried foul and questioned how ballots already cast would be secured and counted as photos of vote tallies from precincts where ballots had already been cast appeared on social media. At least one candidate for governor filed a lawsuit. So did the American Civil Liberties Union. |
| “The decision to paralyze the primary process was illegal,” Pedro R. Pierluisi, the candidate who sued, said in a statement late on Sunday. By Monday morning, he had appealed to the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. He is seeking the nomination for governor for the ruling New Progressive Party, which supports Puerto Rican statehood. Also in the running is the incumbent governor, Wanda Vázquez. | “The decision to paralyze the primary process was illegal,” Pedro R. Pierluisi, the candidate who sued, said in a statement late on Sunday. By Monday morning, he had appealed to the Puerto Rico Supreme Court. He is seeking the nomination for governor for the ruling New Progressive Party, which supports Puerto Rican statehood. Also in the running is the incumbent governor, Wanda Vázquez. |
| The federally appointed fiscal oversight board that controls Puerto Rico’s finances blasted the election as “dysfunctional.” The head of the electoral commission, Juan Ernesto Dávila, under pressure to resign, said he would be willing to leave his post, but not before seeing the primary through to the end. | |
| “Until Saturday, we thought we were going to be able to get the ballots out,” Mr. Dávila told Telemundo on Monday, though he offered little explanation of why the ballot distribution had failed so dramatically. | “Until Saturday, we thought we were going to be able to get the ballots out,” Mr. Dávila told Telemundo on Monday, though he offered little explanation of why the ballot distribution had failed so dramatically. |
| The electoral system had been perhaps the last remaining institution in which Puerto Ricans, battered by years bankruptcy, corruption, government incompetence and natural disasters, still had any confidence. By Sunday night, much of that trust had evaporated. Amid escalating public outrage, Puerto Ricans returned to banging their pots and pans at night in protest. | The electoral system had been perhaps the last remaining institution in which Puerto Ricans, battered by years bankruptcy, corruption, government incompetence and natural disasters, still had any confidence. By Sunday night, much of that trust had evaporated. Amid escalating public outrage, Puerto Ricans returned to banging their pots and pans at night in protest. |
| “This is a travesty,” said Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of San Juan, who is seeking the nomination for governor for the Popular Democratic Party. “No matter who wins, no matter who loses, there’s always going to be a cloud over this election.” | “This is a travesty,” said Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of San Juan, who is seeking the nomination for governor for the Popular Democratic Party. “No matter who wins, no matter who loses, there’s always going to be a cloud over this election.” |
| The closely watched race for governor is the first since Hurricane Maria in 2017 and since huge protests a year ago ousted the former governor, Ricardo A. Rosselló, after a scandal over leaked private phone chats. | The closely watched race for governor is the first since Hurricane Maria in 2017 and since huge protests a year ago ousted the former governor, Ricardo A. Rosselló, after a scandal over leaked private phone chats. |
| Among the candidates vying to replace him are Mr. Pierluisi, who succeeded Mr. Rosselló for three days last year; Ms. Vázquez, who has been governor since the island’s Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Pierluisi had been improperly appointed, and Ms. Cruz, who gained international fame after she publicly denounced the Trump administration for botching the response to Hurricane Maria. An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm and its aftermath. | Among the candidates vying to replace him are Mr. Pierluisi, who succeeded Mr. Rosselló for three days last year; Ms. Vázquez, who has been governor since the island’s Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Pierluisi had been improperly appointed, and Ms. Cruz, who gained international fame after she publicly denounced the Trump administration for botching the response to Hurricane Maria. An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm and its aftermath. |