As Cuba Election Day Nears, Some Voters Ask, 'Why Bother?'

Like a growing number of Cubans, 77-year-old Havana resident Humberto Avila says he will likely sit out Sunday's legislative elections.

The retired university professor says he's done the math - 470 candidates, 470 open seats - and sees no point in voting.

"That's the same number of candidates as open seats," he told Reuters. "There are no choices."

In Cuba, government-organized selection committees choose the candidates, who must then receive more than 50% of validly-cast votes in their district to earn a seat in the National Assembly, the country's highest lawmaking body. Political campaigning is illegal.