Havana, March 4 (RHC)--Cuban electoral polls are participating in a drill this Sunday a week from the second and last phase of the general elections.

The rehearsal will make sure that everything is ready for the process, checking items ranging from the presence of electoral authorities to the availability of resources. The drill will include the testing of vote counts, reporting mechanisms, and validation of results.

Some 8 million Cubans are expected to participate in the election of the 605 deputies to the National Assembly of Peoples Power—the National Parliament—  and the members of the provincial assemblies.

The new legislature resulting from the upcoming elections will be sworn in on April 19th. On that day, the new president, vice president and secretary of the parliament will be elected. After that procedure, deputies will elect the new State Council.

As President Castro reiterated during the last ordinary session of the National Assembly last December, the mandate of the country's top leaders should be limited to two five-year terms, and consequently on April 19 Cuba will have a new leader.