TRE-RJ asked the state government to rent generators for 49 schools. The measure aims to avoid power outages following cable thefts at these voting locations.
To contain crimes, the Department of Education ordered the release of municipal guards in schools. The integrated action will take place under the coordination of TRE-RJ.
Even with risks, electronic voting machines work with a battery of up to 12 hours. The Civil Police also intensified actions against reception and wire theft.
In recent weeks, the State Department of Education identified an increase in cable thefts in several Integrated Public Education Centers (CIEPs) and communicated the situation to the TRE.
Cases intensified in cities such as Rio de Janeiro, São Gonçalo, Nova Iguaçu, Belford Roxo, São João de Meriti, Petrópolis, Queimados, Paracambi and Tanguá. São Gonçalo and Nova Iguaçu concentrate the largest number of affected units: TRE requested generators for 10 schools in São Gonçalo and nine in Nova Iguaçu.
The Department of Education reported that it is awaiting an opinion from the State Attorney General's Office to define the company responsible for supplying the equipment. The proposals presented have values close to R$1.1 million per shift.
According to the state government, 9 thefts were recorded in school units in the last 20 days.
One of the cases occurred last Tuesday (29), at Ciep Brizolão 137 Cecília Meireles, in Petrópolis, in the Mountain Region. According to the police report, two criminals broke into the unit and tried to steal the high voltage wiring, but were unable to do so and fled. The case is investigated by the 105th DP (Petrópolis).
Faced with the problem, meetings held at TRE-RJ defined joint actions between the state, the court and the 16 municipalities most affected by cable theft, which could compromise the infrastructure necessary for holding elections.
Among the agreed measures, the municipal guards of these cities will be able to act in an integrated manner with the state forces in protecting the units and preserving the conditions necessary for the electoral process, under the coordination of the TRE.
Fearing new episodes of theft and vandalism in schools that will be used as voting locations in the October 4 elections, the state Secretary of Education, Luciana Calaça, sent on Monday (28) guidance to regional directorates and school units determining that access for municipal guard agents to the premises of these schools be guaranteed.
The measure seeks to reinforce security, protect public assets and preserve the infrastructure necessary to carry out the election.
According to the guidance, directors, employees and other people responsible for schools will not be able to prevent or hinder the entry of duly identified municipal guards.
The measure aims to protect the facilities, equipment and infrastructure of school units that will be used by the Electoral Court during the election.
Seeduc also advises that any problems related to the security, property or infrastructure of schools be immediately communicated to the Regional Administrative Directorates (DRAs).
In the document, the secretariat highlights the need for cooperation between schools, the Electoral Court and security bodies to guarantee the elections.
According to an internal Seeduc document, obtained by g1, currently, 62 units are experiencing some type of problem related to cable theft. Twenty-six of them have partial classes and 3 have suspended classes.
But, if the power goes out, the electronic voting machines continue to work. Each device has a battery with autonomy of up to 12 hours, enough time to cover the entire voting period.
The biggest impact could be on voter mobility. In the capital of Rio de Janeiro, there are voting stations in buildings up to 10 floors high, and the lack of power can prevent the use of elevators.
And, if any ballot box fails, there is contingency equipment ready to replace it.
In 2022, in the elections in RJ, less than 1% of the ballot boxes had problems and had to be replaced.
This Sunday (4), more than 12 million voters are eligible to vote across the state.
To guarantee voting, TRE-RJ prepared around 42 thousand electronic voting machines, including equipment that will be used at polling stations and reserve voting machines, which can replace those that present a problem.
The Civil Police said that it intensified actions against theft and reception of cables and other components that could compromise essential services in school units next Sunday (4).
