Dom. Rep. begins general election campaigns

By Senabri Silvestre

SANTO DOMINGO, Dom. Rep.

The electoral commission in Santo Domingo on Tuesday officially opened campaigning for local and nationwide elections in which Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina will seek a second and final term.

The campaign was formally kicked off by Roberto Rosario, president of the Central Electoral Organization (JCE), in a press conference.

Rosario said the commission will use all available resources to ensure the May 15 elections will be the cleanest and most transparent in the country’s history.

He also promised to do everything so that all candidates will be treated in the most equitable manner.

“The results of this process will be the fruit of the free will of the voters that will be closely scrutinized and we promise make them known in the shortest possible time, the same night, so we can fully enjoy the most beautiful Dominican political party democracy," Rosario said.

He confirmed that 26 political parties have registered for the poll in which nearly 7 million voters will elect 4,066 officials, including the vice president, 190 deputies, 32 senators and 158 mayors and vice mayors.

The JCE is working on ways that will allow prisoners and disabled person who cannot leave their homes, to be able to vote.

At this point, the campaign is a two-man race, according to the latest Gallup survey, with Danilo Medina leading with 51.8 percent, followed by Luis Abinader at 35.7 percent.

Guillermo Moreno, a former prosecutor of Santo Domingo is polling in the low single digits.