The Supreme Elections Tribual (TSE) yesterday began sending boxes of electoral material to precincts around the country in preparation for the nationwide referendum on the Central American Free-Trade Agreement with the United States (CAFTA) to be held next month.

These boxes are making their way to 4,932 polling places in the country's 81 cantons, according to a statement from the TSE.

The Tribunal is using helicopters, SUVs, trucks and boats to get the boxes to remote, difficult-to-access parts of the country. Workers started yesterday with the Caribbean and Northern zones and some parts of the San José area and will continue tomorrow with the northwestern Guanacaste province; the Pacific Puntarenas province; Alajuela, northwest of San José; and the rest of the San José area, the statement said.

Material will be delivered Wednesday to the Southern Zone, the eastern province of Cartago and Heredia, north of San José.

Costa Ricans will take to the polls to vote on this controversial U.S. trade pact Oct. 7. The referendum will be the country's first.