HAVANA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Cuba's National Electoral Commission decided on Monday to extend the deadline for nomination of municipal election candidates to Oct. 30 due to Hurricane Irma's devastation.
The commission said the decision was made after the State Council last week postponed by one month the municipal elections that will eventually lead to the election of a successor to President Raul Castro.
The first phase of the general election process, previously scheduled for Oct. 22, will be held on Nov. 26, as a result of the damage caused to this Caribbean nation by Hurricane Irma early this month.
The State Council said it delayed the municipal vote so that Cubans could focus on the recovery from Irma.
The election will choose councils or delegates and is the first in a series of votes for local, provincial and finally, national officials.
Raul Castro, 86, became president in 2008 and is expected to step down in February.
