Havana, January 19 (RHC)-- The President of the National Electoral Council (CEN), Alina Balseiro, announced on Saturday that all proposed governors and deputy governors in Cuba's provinces were elected.

Speaking at a press conference at the Electoral Council Headquarters, she explained that it had been an arduous and fruitful day. 

She added that the entire process, with its respective validation, was concluded at 1:10 p.m. local time.

Of the 12,363 delegates to the Municipal Assemblies of People's Power convoked, 12,244 attended the polls for 99.04 percent.

According to the results offered by the electoral authority, 11,625 delegates voted for governor and lieutenant governor, and 578 voted selectively.

The 167 municipal assemblies (with the exception of the special municipality of the Isle of Youth, which is not integrated into any province) were constituted as polling stations to choose their top authorities in the country's 15 provinces.

In a step without precedent in the country's electoral history, and by mandate of the Constitution of the Republic, among the new provincial authorities, there is a slight predominance of women over men: 16 against 14.

As a rule, except in the central province of Camagüey, the gender was balanced, because if the governor is male, his second was female or vice versa.

All candidates were proposed by Díaz-Canel as established by the law, and the NEC was responsible for organizing the process.

Those elected by direct and secret vote will take office on February 8.

Each provincial government will be made up of the Provincial Councils, made up of the governor, the deputy governor, the presidents and vice-presidents of the municipal assemblies, as well as the mayors (in charge of the municipalities and soon to be elected).