[ad_1]
ELECTIONS
Climate of decision-making and (in)security: see what the second round day was like in Camaçari
Flávio Matos (União Brasil) and Luiz Caetano (PT) are competing for the position of mayor
Published on October 27, 2024 at 3:51 pm
Camaçari was divided between blue and red for this Sunday (27) Credit: Ana Albuquerque / CORREIO
Camaçari was divided between blue and red for this election Sunday (27). In a fierce dispute, voters for Flávio Matos (União Brasil) and Luiz Caetano (PT) colored the streets with shirts, stickers, saints and flags of the candidates. At the electoral colleges, queues formed and the atmosphere of decision was in the air for the unprecedented second round.
For the first time in history with more than 200 thousand voters, the minimum number indicated by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE), Camaçari won the right to have a second day of elections in 2024. The new stage of the election is the result of a balanced vote between Flávio and Caetano, who had a difference of just 559 votes in the first round.
At polling places, such as the Centro Educacional Marquês de Abrantes, the largest electoral college in Camaçari, many voters had already defined their sides. A resident of Abrantes, Avanildo de Oliveira maintained his vote in the first round and stated that the entire family chose the same candidate. “I voted earlier and it was very quick. There’s only one position to vote for, so it’s easier,” he said.
Just like Avanildo, Milena Rangel exercised her right to vote early in the morning, around 10 am. For her, the full functioning of the polls meant that the queues didn’t take long. “In the first round there was a lot of time to vote because several ballot boxes were defective here in Abrantes”, he recalled. To date, the Regional Electoral Court has registered problems in only two ballot boxes out of the 540 allocated for the election.
Camaçari was divided between blue and red for this Sunday (27) Credit: Ana Albuquerque / CORREIO
In a fierce dispute like Camaçari, where the election is decided vote by vote, a practice often used by people is to try to convert voters to their candidate. However, for Wellington Júnior, 30, the strategy was not successful. “I talked to the people I know who were undecided and showed them why to vote for my candidate. Some accepted the points I presented, but did not change sides”, he said. The Camaçari native, who lives at the end of Abrantes, said he only voted in the afternoon, but went to Marquês de Abrantes in the morning to meet up with friends. “With work we end up not seeing each other. I took advantage of the fact that today is a ‘holiday’ to see the staff”, he said.
At the Maria Quitéria Educational Center, the second largest electoral college in the city, on the other hand, retired Judson Teixeira declared that he managed to influence the votes of three people. “Several acquaintances asked me what I thought and I said that, particularly, I would vote for my candidate out of gratitude,” he said. Despite the even election, the resident of the Phoc II neighborhood declared that there is a peaceful atmosphere at the polling stations. “The parties brought several members, but so far there has been nothing. I hope it continues like this, without shock”, he highlighted.
(Insecurity
The retiree’s feeling is due to the police reinforcement present on the day of the second round. According to the Public Security Secretariat, 1,463 agents were sent to Camaçari to work during the vote. In addition to the state level, the Federal Police also allocated the Ready Intervention Group, specialized in emergencies and risk operations, for the day of the election. According to Judson, the police presence mitigated electoral crimes in the region.
Electoral inspector at the Maria Quitéria Educational Center, Givaldo Oliveira stated that the second round is safer than the first, but is not free from incidents. “In the morning, people placed a flag outside and the police had to intervene. Still, it’s very peaceful. In the second round, people already know who to vote for, so there isn’t as much confusion”, he explained.
Despite the calm in other voting locations, Colégio Municipal São Tomaz de Cantuária was in a warlike atmosphere. Upon entering the establishment, an agent, whose identity was preserved, stated that there had been several incidents throughout the day, including a confusion between party inspectors that was occurring at that exact moment.
According to one of the inspectors, who chose not to identify himself, activists from a political group entered the establishment and started the conflict. “They started to say that it was partial because there were more inspectors on one side than on the other at the entrance, and this is a question of party organization,” said a witness.
Outside the school, on Rua Eixo Urbâno Central, voter Sérgio Santos declared that political fights are “unfortunate” and must be fought. “More than a political issue, it is an education issue”, he highlighted.
[ad_2]
Source link