São Paulo council votes on opposition call for e-voting in elections | OneFootball

São Paulo’s Deliberative Council will vote next Tuesday (16) on a proposed amendment to its internal rules that could redefine the institution’s electoral system.

The debate stems from a formal request submitted by a group of members, which gathered more than 120 signatures — the statutory quorum required to force the matter to be considered by the body. The movement was led by the opposition political group Nova Era Tricolor.

The core of the proposal lies in expanding and making mandatory the use of electronic voting at the club. Although the digital format is already provided for in specific scenarios, São Paulo’s predominant model still relies on physical paper ballots.

The current voting model has long been the target of criticism due to its operational dynamics.

In elections for the Deliberative Council, held every three years, voters must select up to 20 names from a list of approximately 200 candidates.

Because manual completion is time-consuming, the practice of using a “cheat sheet” has become established at the club: slates and political groups distribute pre-filled ballots to members, who simply place them in the ballot boxes.

Opponents of the system argue that the method compromises ballot secrecy and leaves room for political pressure akin to vote herding.

Proposal details and audit

The new proposal calls for the implementation of individual voting booths with electronic screens displaying the candidate’s name and photograph before the vote is confirmed. The text also establishes audit and oversight mechanisms accessible to all competing slates.

Printed ballots would not be eliminated, but limited to exceptional contingencies, such as widespread technical failures or interruptions in the electricity supply. Even in these exceptional cases, the proposal suggests stricter controls, requiring that the physical ballot be handed over strictly inside the voting booth, curbing the circulation of pre-filled lists.

Procedural steps and political scenario

The Deliberative Council session will be held in a hybrid format (in person and virtual), with opening scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The council members’ deliberation will take place through the club’s internal electronic system, beginning at 10 p.m. on the 16th and expected to end at 5 p.m. on the 17th (all times Brasília time).

Before being submitted to the full body, the matter must be reviewed by the club’s Legislative Committee, tasked with issuing an opinion on its legality and advisability. The notice of meeting, however, did not specify whether this stage has already been completed.

The assembly marks the definitive return of Olten Ayres de Abreu Júnior to the presidency of the body. This will be the first session led by the official after the courts overturned last week the provisional removal to which he had been subjected.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.