DR Election Watch - 2006

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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My wife and I voted shortly after 12:00 noon, at the voting center installed in the premises of Instituto San Juan Bautista, behind Bella Vista Mall, in SD. I was expecting lengthy lines of voters, and a stay of at least an hour. To my amazement, the place was practically deserted of voters, however, it was teaming with electoral officials and political party representatives.
We were out in less than 10 minutes.
My wife Altagracia was unsure about voting, she did not know who to vote for. This is understandable, in our home politics is not a frequent or even a serious topic of conversation. I told her I was voting for the government party, both for Congress and City Mayor. I gave her my reasons. The Congress should have a membership more evenly balanced between the PRD and PLD, and the S?ndico (Mayor) should always belong to the same party as the President, for more efficient city management.
Over a late lunch, talking about the experience, it occurred to me the following:
1) In each election booth, at least one of the 10 to 15 election officials and party representatives, should explain to voters that request it, how to vote. The voting process is not straightward or friendly to most voters.
2) Voting should be compulsory, with appropriate sanctions for those who don't vote.
3) Instead of distributing between RD$600-1000 million between the major political parties, for promotion and propaganda prior to elections, the government should give each voter, at the poll's exit, a non-tranferable certificate worth RD$500, redeemable anytime within the next four years, as payment for any government service (passport fees, drivers license, school fees, public hospital services, etc., etc.).

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rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
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Mirador said:
My wife Altagracia was unsure about voting, she did not know who to vote for. This is understandable, in our home politics is not a frequent or even a serious topic of conversation.
It's interesting that someone that has expressed such strong political opinions on DR1, doesn't discuss politics at home.
 

Rick Snyder

Silver
Nov 19, 2003
2,321
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Mirador I am surprised that a person such as yourself doesn’t talk politics at home. Unlike you I had to watch, listen and learn through the years to understand that so many Dominicans have no idea as to how the democratic system is supposed to work. As the system is not taught in school it seems only logical that people such as yourself should be teaching those that don’t know and it seems that this should start in the home.

I firmly believe that nothing will ever really change in this beautiful country until the bad, uncaring politicians are replaced and this can only be accomplished by the vote.

In a democratic society you can’t have a mandatory vote or a sanction against those that don’t vote but your idea as to an insinuative to get out and vote by the giving of a voucher would be a very good idea. Because of the monies spent I think the amount should be $1,000 pesos. The thought of receiving $1,000 pesos for voting would cause a mass turnout of voters and if they understood that the voucher would be good regardless of which party they vote for then the opposition could not cry foul because the ruling party is the one handing the vouchers out.

Because of the way elections are financed here all that money belongs to the people as it is their tax dollars (pesos) at work and the idea that all voters are getting the same amount would further enhance the turnout without animosity between voters.

Now if we only had people such as yourself running for public office then the possibility of having a better government and the passage of sound ideas like you stated could become a reality.

Rick
 

hi-tec

New member
Jun 15, 2004
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the /ocurrence' from Mirador seem to be good, compulsory voting should include a method for those who do not want to vote for anyone, a check mark to make sure they knew what they were doing.
 

gringosabroso

New member
Oct 16, 2004
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Get paid to vote? Get paid not to vote?

Mirador has an extremely profound point, in the very subjective judgment of this American former political science major:

* Is it in the interest of society to reward people financially who vote? Who is more likely to vote only if being "paid", ie financially rewarded? Do we, assuming I am a Dominican, want them to vote? Why? Why not? I use the noun "society" deliberately; meaning not the incumbent nor minority party of the moment. Accepting my definintion, how would "society' be better or worse off over a 20 year period if all who vote are paid to vote? Does this violate the Dominican Constiturtion? Intelligent speculations welcome? Perhaps this question is unanswerable? Mirador raises an excellent point. How would this policiy work in the USA? Same questions.

* Should the parties, or any candidate whomsoever, be permitted to pay people selected by the specific party not to vote? With cash? Is not this a better expenditure of private, not public, donated funds? Is this not preferable to spending millions of dollars or Pesos on nearly useless, numbingly repititous, & nearly pointless political advertising? Would the poor benefit? Would the result simply being the super rich controlling the outcome of "popular" elections? Who would be harmed? Food for thought! Mirador, . . right on.
 

Ken

Platinum
Jan 1, 2002
13,884
495
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Mirador said:
1) In each election booth, at least one of the 10 to 15 election officials and party representatives, should explain to voters that request it, how to vote. The voting process is not straightward or friendly to most voters.

Very risky. In many cases "how to vote" likely to be just that, in other words, which candidates to vote for.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
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I think the voucher system is a good idea.

What about the 'appropriate sanctions'? I know that in countries where voting is compulsory (like Venezuela) you have to be able to show that you voted in the last elections in order to get certain official things, but how effective is this?
 

juancarlos

Bronze
Sep 28, 2003
676
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Judging by Venezuela's last congressional elections, it must not be very effective since there was a low voter turnout and I don't think people suffered any consequenses.
 

Chirimoya

Well-known member
Dec 9, 2002
17,850
982
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Maybe voting is no longer compulsory there. It used to be at one stage, I know that.

Sure enough:
There are also examples of countries such as Venezuela and the Netherlands which at one time in their history practiced compulsory voting but have since abolished it.


See this site for more details. In fact it mentions the DR as a country where voting is compulsory but that the law is not enforced.
 
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Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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Chirimoya said:
I think the voucher system is a good idea.

What about the 'appropriate sanctions'? I know that in countries where voting is compulsory (like Venezuela) you have to be able to show that you voted in the last elections in order to get certain official things, but how effective is this?


Chiri, in Venezuela voting is not compulsory, and in the last elections the abstention rate was about 75% of registered voters. In the recent election for the Venezuelan National Assembly (Congress) members, I voted at the local Venezuelan Embassy (I'm a dual citizen: Dominican - Venezuelan), and out of over 300 voters registered to vote, only 15 voted. It so happened that the opposition parties boycotted the elections and removed their candidates at the last moment...


...
 

Mirador

On Permanent Vacation!
Apr 15, 2004
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Chirimoya said:
- see post 9 above. It was compulsory at one stage - was that before your time?


Chiri, I've been voting in Venezuelan elections since 1968, and yes, in several past elections voting has been officially declared as obligatory, but sanctions were never enforced, since compulsion did not seem to affect the traditional abstention rate...

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Rick Snyder

Silver
Nov 19, 2003
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El Seybo in 2004 32,340 people were registered and 19,772 voted

According to Bulletin #7 in El Seybo

Votos
Validos PLD PRD PRSC BIS APD PUN UDC PQDC PTD PVUD
16,961 7,287 7,627 685 313 154 209 131 134 63 60

PNVC PLRD PRN PHD PRI PPC ASD PDP MIUCA PRSD
50 61 9 1 28 28 11 70

El Seybo, district 025, is a very poor area within the DR. In 2004 only 61% of the eligible voters voted in El Seybo and it looks like about the same amount of people turned out this year. It is a known fact that a large number of voters fail to vote due to a feeling of their vote doing nothing and/or a lack of interest. If you were to offer an incentive to vote, as Mirador mentioned, the possibility of a larger turn out is likely.

Here in El Seybo we have a number of politicians that hand out a lot of money on election day and the month leading up to elections they pay for a large amount of building materials for the “people”. I know of one politician here that has 3 ONG’s which supply him with over $120,000 pesos monthly. During the past 4 years he didn’t supply this area with much but for the last month he has been spending like crazy and the people think it is “his” money that he is giving out. Needless to say by the looks of it he got reelected.


For a positive change for the better the DR must change those in political office. This latest election may have changed enough of those in office that things may become better. At the same time we might have only changed one crook for another and might well be in the same boat as before, only time will tell.

One thing that is certain is that there will be another election in 2008 and one in 2010. If you begin to start looking now for those that you would like to see in office and who would help this country the possibility of finding good people and convincing them to run are greatly increased. Of course you can always sit back, like the non voters and say, “not me job mon”.

Rick

"The death of democracy is not likely to be an assassination from ambush. It will be a slow extinction from apathy, indifference, and undernourishment." Robert M. Hutchins
 

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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I have been looking for a report that shows how many of the polling stations have been reported and authenticated, as a % of the total.
Bulletin #8 reports 1.8 million voters, way under 50% turnout...:(

So Dominicans will elect the government they deserve.

Lots to speculate on in this one. Some astute observers noted that with a few hundred or a few thousand votes, congressional elections could be won in the frontier provinces. People were "moved" to accomodate this tactic..and allowed to vote...interesting tactic, sort of Gerrymandering in reverse...

HB :D:D