Havana, March 12 (RHC)—Cuba´s National Electoral Commission (CEN) has released preliminary results of the second stage of the general elections that were held Sunday to elect the deputies to the National Assembly of People´s Power and delegates to the provincial assemblies.

According to the Commission´s president, Alina Balseiro, all 605 deputies were elected to the national parliament, and 82.9 % of registered voters cast their ballots.

That is, seven million 399 thousand voters went to the polls.  Only 5.6 percent of the ballots were annulled or left blank.

The president of the National Electoral Commission described the elections as a success of the Cuban people and a triumph and reaffirmation of the Cuban electoral system.

 “The vote is secret and voluntary.  And we respect the right of each voter to voluntarily express their right to vote," Balseiro asserted.

Meanwhile, 1 thousand 265 delegates were also elected to the provincial assemblies.

Candidates of deputies and provincial delegates all met the requirement of obtaining more than half of the valid votes of their electors.

The elections of this March 11 were held in 24. 470 polling stations scattered island-wide, including 143 that were located in places of eventual concentrations of people such as hospitals, bus terminals and airports.

The newly elected deputies will be sworn in on April 19th. On that day, the new parliament president, vice president and secretary will be elected. The sworn in deputies will then elect the new State Council.

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