People who do not vote in Paraguay’s October 4 municipal elections face a fine of G. 117,077, equivalent to one day’s minimum wage, according to Carlos María Ljubetic, director of Electoral Processes at the Superior Electoral Justice Court (TSJE). In an October 1 report, El Nacional links the measure to Article 332 of the Electoral Code and Resolution 145/2023.
Ljubetic explained that the electoral authorities will identify nonvoters and communicate the payment method after the election. He said there is no additional penalty for nonpayment: the aim is to encourage turnout, not raise revenue. In ABC Cardinal’s own interview on La Primera Mañana, he also said he philosophically favors voluntary voting.
In a separate ABC Color report, TSJE president Jorge Bogarín cited the rounded amount of G. 117,000 and said the fine is the only sanction currently provided for. He emphasized due process and the right to a defense. Officials are to cross-check polling-table records against the voter register; a platform will allow people to check their individual status using their identity number.
Bogarín said a form was being prepared so that people could submit justifications, such as illness or being abroad, before the election, with supporting documents. Payment channels and administrative bank accounts were also being adjusted in work with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. Those statements do not indicate that the form and channels are already available.
The absence of an additional penalty does not rule out debt collection. According to Bogarín, after prolonged nonpayment and the exhaustion of administrative remedies, with due process respected, collection could involve the Procuraduría General de la República. The two explanations therefore concern distinct issues: the electoral sanction and recovery of the amount owed.
El Nacional presents a historical turnout series: 83% in 1996, 54% in 2001, 49.95% in 2006, around 56% in 2010 and 2015, and approximately 60% in 2021. These are the figures reported by the newspaper. Ljubetic considers turnout of around 60% acceptable for the October 4 vote.
To check your polling place, consult the TSJE voter register. The guidance published by ABC Color is to bring your physical identity card, even if it has expired. Information on justifications and payment should follow the instructions the electoral authorities publish.