Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 144 (1952).djvu/327

 or public office of any kind for 2 years from the date of the infraction.

98. Through the medium of a referendum the people shall express its opinion on the questions submitted to it.

At every election or referendum, decision shall be by majority of validly cast ballots, with the exceptions established in this Constitution. The result shall be made public in an official manner as soon as it is known to the competent body.

Votes shall be counted solely and exclusively for the person in whose favour they were cast, and cannot be accumulated with those of another candidate. In addition, in cases of proportional representation, the votes cast in favour of candidates shall be counted to determine the party factor.

99. All Cubans of both sexes, over 20 years of age, are voters, with the exception of the following:

(a) Occupants of asylums.

(b) Those who are mentally incompetent, after judicial declaration of their incompetency.

(c) Those who are judicially disqualified because of crime.

(d) Individuals belonging to the armed forces or the police, who are in active service.

100. The Electoral Code shall provide for an identity certificate with the photograph of the voter, his signature and fingerprints, and the other requisites necessary for best identification.

101. Every form of coercion to compel a citizen to join a party, vote, or state his will at any electoral operation is punishable.

This infringement shall be punished, and when the coercion is exercised, personally or through an intermediary, by any authority or his agent, officer or employee, a double penalty shall be applied, in addition to imposing that of permanent disqualification to hold public office.

102. The organisation of political parties and associations is unrestricted. Political groups based on race, sex or class cannot, however, be formed.

For the organisation of new political parties it is indispensable to present, with the corresponding application, a number of members equal to or greater than two per centum of the corresponding electoral census, according to whether they are national, provincial or municipal parties. A political