Ecuador Extends Public Vote for National Museum Design

The Ecuadorian government has extended the public voting period for the design of the new National Museum (MuNa) until Sunday, aiming to ensure broader citizen participation. Initially, the public had a chance to vote on three finalist proposals selected by a jury. However, the government decided to prolong the process to allow more individuals to weigh in.

Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Roberto Luque, stated that the extension is intended to give everyone an opportunity to participate. He explained that each voter can cast one ballot after identity verification, with votes being encrypted. The system will automatically close once the voting period ends, after which votes will be decrypted for counting. The final results will then be combined with the jury's assessment to announce the winning design.

Luque assured that the results would be announced on Sunday, verified by a public notary. The competition initially involved ten finalists, evaluated by a jury based on architectural quality, functionality, sustainability, urban integration, and museographic proposal. The three highest-ranked projects are currently displayed online for public voting. The jury's score accounts for 85% of the total, while public votes contribute 15% to the final decision.