Ecuador will waive election fines for pregnant and nursing mothers
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Ecuador’s National Electoral Council (CNE) announced that pregnant women from the sixth month of gestation and mothers breastfeeding for up to one year will be exempt from paying fines for not voting in the November 29, 2026 sectional elections.
This decision stems from a reform to the Regulations on Procedures in Administrative Headquarters, approved on April 27, 2026.
The CNE made this change to ensure differentiated conditions for women during these periods, following a ruling issued by the TCE on March 25, 2026. Women seeking exemption can submit a justification to the secretary of the Provincial Electoral Delegations starting the day after the election, and the process will remain open indefinitely. To support their claim, pregnant women must provide a medical certificate from a professional within Ecuador’s National Health System.
Mothers who are breastfeeding must present their child’s birth certificate to prove they are within the first year of lactation. The director of each Provincial Electoral Delegation will have three days to approve or deny the submitted justification, and they must notify the applicant of their decision. This measure also allows women to avoid fines for failing to serve on a polling station committee or attend electoral training.
The CNE approved the reform on April 27, 2026, to implement the requirements for justification.
