15 May 2016•Update: 22 May 2016
By Senabri Silvestre
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic
Dominicans go to the polls Sunday to elect one of eight candidates as the president of the biggest economy in the Caribbean for the next four years.
Just two candidates, however, have any realistic chance of victory, including President Danilo Medina who is positioned for reelection with a 23-point lead against his closest rival, Luis Abinader.
Others candidates are polling at less than 3 percent.
Allegations of corruption and dirty politics have plagued the election cycle.
And the introduction of electronic voting has caused controversy after election officials said the digital method would be the sole method but have since backed off to allow both systems.
Medina, a 65-year-old economist and veteran politician, is seeking his second and final turn that will allow him to consolidate the Dominican Liberation Party’s grip on power it has held for the last 12 years.
Challenging for the country’s top spot is Luis Abinader, a 49-year-old economist and businessman who hails from the Modern Revolutionary Party.
Abinader, 49, is Executive Chairman of the ABICOR Group, that has developed and operated major tourism projects around the country. His family operated a cement company and owns a private university.
He bills himself as the candidate "for change" and promises to combat corruption, reduce poverty, eliminate inequality and reduce unemployment – currently at 13.3 percent.
The Medina administration has created more than 400,000 new jobs since he took office in 2012, central bank figures show.
The winner must receive 50 percent of the vote plus one. Short of that, runoff election would be held in the next 45 days, according to the Constitution.
Twenty-six political parties are vying for position on the general ballot in which 6.7 million voters will elect 4,066 officials in a country of 10 million residents.
At total of 190 deputies, 32 senators, 158 mayors and 1,164 councilors, with alternates, will be chosen.
In addition, 234 heads of municipal districts and an equal number of assistants will be elected
Preliminary results are expected Sunday night.
