The electoral commissioner of the Popular Democratic Party (PPD), Gerardo ”Toñito” Cruz, denounced that the vote cast by former Governor Ricardo Rosselló in the special election to select the congressional delegates who will advocate for statehood in Washington is under investigation because it was sent in envelopes of the Administrative Board of Absentee Voting and Advance Voting (JAVA) even though he had requested the ballot electronical.
Similarly, both Cruz and Project Dignity (Proyecto Dignidad – a recent political party in the Puerto Rico) Election Commissioner Nelson Rosario questioned Rosselló’s eligibility to be one of the delegates because, at the time of the election, he does not reside in Puerto Rico.
Rosselló unofficially prevailed in Sunday’s election with more than 65,000 votes for delegate to the federal House of Representatives by the “write in” modality.
But, according to the PPD representative, the vote of Rosselló and his wife, Beatriz Rosselló, arrived at the State Elections Commission (CEE) with envelopes of JAVA, even though no one had sent him the pre-ordered wrappers.
“He records his requested absentee vote electronically. That means you print it in your home and then it’s shipped by any regular envelope. Or be it that you will never receive the JAVA envelopes. The question is, how is it possible that Ricardo Rosselló and his wife had envelopes of JAVA where they lived in the United States? Because nobody sent him JAVA envelopes,” Cruz questioned in a radio interview (WKAQ 580 AM).
“In the form of early voting and absentee voting, you could ask to be sent the ballot with pre-ordered envelopes. This is not the case with Ricardo Rosselló. He asked electronically to be sent a link for him to print the ballots and put them in a regular envelope. (Those votes) They are arrested. They have not yet been awarded because there is a statement about that,” he added.
Both Cruz and Rosario questioned Rosselló’s eligibility because he lives in the United States.
“Everyone knows that, although he is registered in Guaynabo, he does not live in Puerto Rico. The law said you have to have an address in Puerto Rico or Washington. But he is not domiciled in Puerto Rico. Everyone saw him leave Puerto Rico,” Cruz said.
For her part, former PNP commissioner Norma Burgos defended Rosselló’s eligibility and challenged any member of the political opposition to file a challenge because they are convinced the former governor is in law.
“Totally anticipated. Anyone who is an enemy of statehood will seek any mechanism to disqualify it, but they will not succeed. I guarantee you that he will be sworn in as the main delegate,” Burgos said in NotiCel’s “El Push de la Mañana.”
“It’s not the same residence as domicile. There is a difference according to the law. I invite Toñito Cruz or anyone who settles and see the process that is going to take happen. I maintain that he complies with the law,” Burgos said, without going into details.
Likewise, he ruled out any irregularity in his advance vote.
“He (Rosselló) does nothing improper or illegal, outside the process of law. You have to ask the EEC officials who work there. It escapes them that there is a board that integrates different parties that oversee this process,” he said.
“Being Ricardo Rosselló, we knew they were going to attack him, because if there is anyone who can fight for statehood, it is him,” he said.
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