320,000 new voters and record $50 million price tag for election

NEARLY 13 percent of Panamanians entitled to vote in the 2014 elections will be voting for the first time
That comes to 320,134 citizens, 12.8% of the 2,482 322 voters eligible to vote, according to Electoral Court judge  Eduardo Valdés Escoffery.

There will be 2600 polling stations, nationwide and the cost of the election will shoot up from $38.7 million to $50 million, the most expensive electoral contest Panamanian.
Escoffery attributed the rise among other factors to the increase in travel expenses of personnel traveling to remote areas, an increase in per diem payments and the high cost of gasoline.
Electronic voting will be implemented for the first time with a pilot project operating in 14 polling stations.
Panamanians abroad may vote via the internet.