Next week the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) plans to send Congress a request for a budget expansion for Q122 million, money that will be used to equip itself for the general elections of 2027.
This was reported by the TSE magistrates to the representatives of the political parties during their monthly meeting corresponding to April, which is the second meeting between the new magistrate and the political organizations.
Congress approved a budget expansion after the Constitutional Court (CC) suspended the budget approved for 2025, which included Q500 million for electoral preparations.
But even though with the expansion this money was guaranteed for the TSE, until now the Ministry of Finance has not delivered the corresponding quota.
The TSE has had to make some expenses of its ordinary income in view of the 2027 electoral event, which is why it now requires an increase of Q122 million.
Magistrate Quelvin Jiménez explained that they have already had approaches with some block heads, who have shown that they are in favor of supporting the TSE’s request, which according to the magistrate, would be presented next week.
Other preparations
Also for next year’s general elections, the General Information Technology Directorate presented proposals to the TSE to have a computer tool, which is expected to be used to project the preliminary electoral results.
In 2023, the TSE opted for the system of Transmission of Preliminary Electoral Results (Trep), which had a cost of Q148 million and which may have been overvalued, according to a complaint from the Comptroller General of Accounts (CGC).
Now the current TSE has to evaluate 12 proposals for computer systems that were presented to it, having to evaluate which is the best, which suggests that they would be betting on creating their own system.
Also in the next meeting that the TSE will have with the parties, the magistrates hope to present the 2027 electoral calendar, which will contain the main dates of the next process.
Among these is the call for general elections 2027, which should be in January of next year; That date sets the tone for other key voting events, such as the start and end of the campaign, along with the date of the first and second rounds.
The electoral body still does not have a date for the next meeting with the political parties, and it remains pending whether there will be more than one meeting per month to address the needs of electoral planning.