HAVANA (PL) The National Electoral Commission in Cuba has decided to extend until October 30 the holding of the assemblies to nominate the candidates for delegates to the People''s Power municipal assembly, Granma newspaper reported today.

Such action is carried out in compliance with the agreement of the Council of State from September 18 this year, where the country provides to postpone the general elections in its first stage for November 26.

The extension of the schedule will allow that the assemblies to nominate the candidates are carried out with the required quality and the population, now immersed in the recovery works in areas affected the passing of Hurricane Irma.

The citizens can also actively participate in the assembly of their area and nominate the candidates due to their merits, capacity and commitment with the people, under the protection of Law No. 72, Electoral Law, the note said.

Voters' lists will be published on October 19 and 20, ensuring that the constituency electoral commissions and the corresponding registration, culminate the verification and updating of the mentioned document on the scheduled date.

The training of the electoral authorities at all levels, with special emphasis in those that make up constituencies and polling station electoral commissions, was re-scheduled and will take place from November 1 to 17.

The biographies and photos of the candidates to delegates to the People's Power Municipal Assemblies will be published as of November 1.

The members of the National Electoral Commission and the Supervisor Group will hold advisory visits to the different electoral structures from September 21 to 29, to learn, assess and support the work at the grass-roots.

As reported, November 26 is the new date appointed by the Council of State to elect, for the term of two and a half years, the grass-roots representatives to the People's Power municipal assembly, the newspaper recalled.

In those districts where none of the candidates win more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast, a second round will be held on December 3.

The assemblies to nominate the candidates for delegates to the People's Power Municipal Assembly, which began on September 4, continue throughout Cuba after the passing of Hurricane Irma.

The extension of the schedule for the holding of those assemblies and the readjustment of the schedule taking into account the current situation, is a sign of the importance given to the holding of this electoral process throughout Cuba and an expression of the Cuban democratic system, concludes the note released by Granma newspaper.