The Chilean government has sparked controversy by proposing to reduce the payment per vote for candidates and parties in the Budget Law project, just before the general elections with mandatory voting. This measure aims to neutralize the higher fiscal outlay due to increased voters, but it is criticized for its improvisation. Additionally, Servel has changed rules on publishing poll workers' lists, impacting media outlets.
The government's decision to reduce the amount per vote in the general elections, included in the Budget Law project presented to Congress, has surprised parliamentarians across sectors. According to the Executive, with mandatory voting, a higher number of votes is expected, which would increase payments to parties and candidates. To counter this and maintain a fiscally neutral effect, it proposes lowering the payment per vote while ensuring a minimum floor.
However, this reform is deemed irresponsible due to its timing: only weeks remain before the elections. La Tercera's editorial highlights that many parliamentarians have already committed credits based on expected reimbursements, making an agreement unlikely now. Moreover, there is no certainty about the behavior of new voters, who might spoil or cast blank votes, questioning the proposal's foundation.
This is not an isolated case. Recently, at the end of September, Congress approved the fines law for not voting, which included a constitutional amendment to restrict foreign voting, after delays that risked the electoral roll. The government published this law on October 23, just as media outlets like La Tercera were preparing to distribute lists of poll workers ordered by the Electoral Boards.
The law required Servel to publish the complete list on its website, but the body instructed the Boards not to proceed, halting ongoing processes. The Boards continued, and Servel refused to pay for the publications. The National Press Association (ANP) criticized this in a statement: “this action is not only a show of deep disorganization, but constitutes an act that violates legitimate trust, and the fulfillment of validly celebrated contracts under a current law”.
These improvised changes to electoral rules, both by the Executive and Servel, erode institutional stability and trust in the democratic process, according to the analysis. Parliamentarians are also criticized for approving norms harmful to regional media at a difficult time for the industry.