▁take ▁place ▁on ▁a ▁non - work ▁day , ▁and ▁the ▁sale ▁of ▁alco hol ▁will ▁be ▁b anned ▁starting ▁the ▁day ▁prior ▁to ▁elections . ▁V oting ▁bo oth ▁at ten de es ▁are ▁chosen ▁at ▁random ▁by ▁the ▁C NE ; ▁for ▁this ▁election , ▁over ▁ 4 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁were ▁chosen . ▁Over ▁ 8 0 , 0 0 0 ▁participated ▁in ▁training , ▁compared ▁to ▁ 4 0 , 0 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁ ▁Four ▁domestic ▁N GO s ▁registered ▁ 6 2 4 ▁obser vers ▁each . ▁Un like ▁the ▁election ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁major ▁independent ▁election ▁obser ving ▁organis ations ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁Organ ization ▁of ▁American ▁States , ▁the ▁European ▁Union ▁and ▁the ▁Carter ▁Center ▁were ▁not ▁invited ▁to ▁observe ▁this ▁election ▁in ▁a ▁technical ▁capacity . ▁Gu ests ▁from ▁those ▁bodies ▁allowed ▁to ▁observe ▁the ▁final ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁election ▁were ▁not ▁given ▁the ▁technical ▁observation ▁role ▁they ▁had ▁been ▁given ▁in ▁the ▁past . ▁Instead , ▁each ▁al liance ▁particip ating ▁in ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁permitted ▁to ▁bring ▁" up ▁to ▁ 3 0 ▁witness es ▁from ▁abroad ." ▁The ▁European ▁Union ▁noted ▁that ▁" the ▁Venez uel an ▁National ▁Elect oral ▁Council ▁acc red ited ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 0 ▁international ▁guests ▁to ▁accomp any ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁election . ▁No ▁long - term ▁international ▁elect oral ▁observation ▁miss ions ▁participated ." ▁Foreign ▁obser vers ▁were ▁war