State and Municipal Elections, Venezuela

[Daniel Adams]

Held today. It's the first nationwide Venezuelan election to be held since Chávez lost the plebiscite to become president-for-life. 22 governors, over 300 mayors, and over 200 state legislators will be elected today. In 2004, the opposition won only two gubernatorial races (Zulia and Nueva Esparta), garnering 39.6% of the vote nationwide, against 57.3% for the pro-Chávez parties. Pro-Chávez mayors currently rule 228 municipalities, with only 88 in the opposition's hands (18 are governed by independents).

[Daniel Adams]

Read about them a long time ago, but forgot that they were held today.

Any link to get results when they get in?

Results page from El Nacional.

Polls close at 1600 local (2030 GMT).

[Daniel Adams]

I support the socialists here, of course.

Would that refer to the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, the Movimiento al Socialismo, La Causa Radical, or the Acción Democrática? All of them claim to be "socialist".

[Daniel Adams]

I support the socialists here, of course.

Would that refer to the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela, the Movimiento al Socialismo, La Causa Radical, or the Acción Democrática? All of them claim to be "socialist".

The Chavezists, fine.

Yuck. You agree with the guy who wants to send the army in places he loses?

He's better than the alternative.

What alternative are you talking about? In 2006, Chávez's opponent, Manuel Rosales (whom Chávez has now accused of conspiring to assassinate him), was a social democrat. Chávez's opposition is composed largely of center-leftists, not radical right-wingers.

[Daniel Adams]

Still no results...

Apparently some precincts remain open. Chávez and the head of the National Electoral Council have called for "patience".

[Daniel Adams]

The opposition is alleging that Army personnel are keeping 450 precincts open despite the fact that they should have closed several hours ago.