16 May 2008 Election Day reports

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
18,948
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Mrs HB and five lady friends had voted in tranquil ambiance by 7:00 a.m.

All quiet in this part of Santiago de los Caballeros.

HB
 

KaliEyes

New member
May 1, 2008
80
2
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Canadian here...would love to have detailed descriptions of what the atmosphere is like in the DR today due to the election! The DR, from what I've been told, spends a lot of time being 'quiet' and then I was also told there are a lot of parties too....anyone want to elaborate further - would love to be able to envision this clearly.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
Mr Matilda was out all night rounding up supporters and taking them to Night clubs. The clubs are used as a sort of holding pen!!! Not a disco. They do this as it is very common for the opposition party to pay 1000-2000 RD$ to borrow someones cedula so they are unable to vote fot the one party and then it get used to vote for the opposition! Therefore they get the people off the street so they are not tempted to sell! In the clubs they serve ginger tea as there is no alcohol. This keeps out the cold (!!) and also keeps people awake till 4am when they are taken to join the queue at the voting station.

Voting has been steady here today and no trouble at all.

Matilda
 

RHM

Doctor of Diplomacy
Sep 23, 2002
1,660
30
0
www.thecandidacy.com
Quiet in Gazcue

I just returned from a long walk around Gazcue. All is quiet.

I stopped by the voting station located at the Public Maternal Hospital across from Plaza de la Cultura. Lots of people moving around (including both Purple and White observers). But all is quiet.

As we get closer to the results the tension will likely kick up a notch.

Which website to you think will have the quickest results? JCE? or other online media? Anyone???

RHM
 
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Theforceinme

Member
Oct 19, 2007
199
10
18
www.facebook.com
I really don't understand why ppl care so much about quick results. They could take a month for all I care, so long as they count it right.

Voting around my area is quiet... all quiet...
 

cdiaz18

New member
May 16, 2008
28
0
0
Waiting at work

Good afternoon.
I'm watching some of the Dominican channels via the Internet and they are mainly talking about the top political figures that have already voted.
According to the JCE we won get any official word on anything until at least 9pm.
They urged all the political parties to not proclaim victory until it is pronounced by the JCE.
So be patient because we may be waiting until the end of the night for results.
 

MaCabrera

New member
Dec 28, 2007
27
0
0
I just hope that the idiots in each party who think they have to pull out a gun to debate in favor of their candidate go home and stfu.
 

cdiaz18

New member
May 16, 2008
28
0
0
Does anyone have any opinions on the participating parties?
I'm for a better Dominican Republic, and the PRD.
 

cdiaz18

New member
May 16, 2008
28
0
0
First results...

Good afternoon.
I'm watching some of the Dominican channels via the Internet and they are mainly talking about the top political figures that have already voted.
According to the JCE we won get any official word on anything until at least 9pm.
They urged all the political parties to not proclaim victory until it is pronounced by the JCE.
So be patient because we may be waiting until the end of the night for results.

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/lo...tion-1st-official-results-expected-9-to-10-pm
 

sylindr

New member
Nov 29, 2007
509
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Canadian here...would love to have detailed descriptions of what the atmosphere is like in the DR today due to the election! The DR, from what I've been told, spends a lot of time being 'quiet' and then I was also told there are a lot of parties too....anyone want to elaborate further - would love to be able to envision this clearly.


Just spoke to boyfriend in La Union....they are having a party. Brothers and sisters all go home to mom's house to vote because they don't bother to change their voting stations. so they have all gone and voted and now drinking and enjoying each others company. ;)
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Election Report - Lu Olivero

Excitement in the air

The day many have been waiting for has arrived and emotions are high as pollers head to the booths. DR1 election correspondents explain that thus far Election Day has been extremely organized and calm in many of the polling areas in Santo Domingo. Election police have been stationed around the city, and the major polling areas. Traffic has been refreshingly calm, though public transport vehicles are running their normal routes, helping to get voters to the polls. An early morning drive through Santo Domingo's Colonial Zone and Gazcue areas revealed that there is excitement in the air. Some pollers interviewed either profess their support for one of the candidates or explain that they just want the elections to be over, arguing that either way the status quo will continue. After a bus ride around Santo Domingo, hoping to get a feel of the situation, correspondent Lu Olivero reports that many Dominicans are split between PRD candidate Miguel Vargas Maldonado and PLD candidate Leonel Fernandez, while recognizing that the one candidate that will have the most to win is PRSC candidate Amable Aristy Castro, especially if the election goes into a second round. Olivero reports that voters, however, have grown tired of the constant campaigning, and those who seem indifferent about the voting process voiced the hope that Fernandez win in the first round in order to avoid two more months of campaigning.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
First Time voter recalls his experience

DR1 correspondent Thomas Murray, a first time voter in Dominican elections explained his voting experience today. Murray explained that things were very organized. "It was my first time voting. When I went in I had no idea what I was doing but I almost didn't have to ask questions, as people came up to me and walked me right through the process. I was in and out in less than five minutes." Murray explained that it was a great feeling to vote considering that he is a new citizen to the DR. He says that being Dominican is part of his family history and it was great to exercise his right to vote, as an actual Dominican citizen. The young voter sighted differences in his Dominican and US voting experiences saying that "the difference (between the US and DR) I notice and what I admire is the distance Dominicans travel to vote and you compare that to US voters and I admire Dominicans because many are inconvenienced and some travel far and they are going out to vote anyway, and how many people in the US don't go out to vote at all?" Speaking on the ballot Murray said that he didn't realize how many times the candidates where on the ballot. He says he saw Leonel on the ballot about nine times. "On a personal note, since I was a kid growing up in the US I wanted to know about my Dominican culture. My work is here, I live here and I am now a citizen it was a unique experience to be able to exercise a right to vote as a true Dominican."
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Results announcement ceremony

The JCE reports that it will hold a ceremony at 8pm prior to announcing the results of the first bulletin. The nine JCE judges, international and national electoral registered observers, foreign diplomats, representatives of civil society organizations and the press have been invited. The event will take place at the Auditorium of the Central Electoral Board headquarters, in the press area -- first floor.
 

Dolores1

DR1
May 3, 2000
8,215
37
48
www.
Very quiet. In the barrios, gatherings around the colmados, not so much the colmadones that are closed -- people go there to drink. But expect the city to become very lively for the evenings as friends gather at friends and family homes, and at the colmadones to wait for the results. I think most people are sure that Fernandez will be ahead, but there is still a slight doubt that he will get the needed 50%+1 vote to spare the country the expense and more days of politics into the second round on 30 June.
My husband and I will be at a friend's house and I have prepared a "cocido" to wait out the results.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
5,485
338
63
We have everything ready for a Sancocho and am expecting hordes of people later! It is very quiet here and the guys at the colmado that went to vote got much much quicker than expected as the queues were small, Don't know if it is because the voters will be spread out all day, or because less people are voting!

Matilda
 

mariaobetsanov

New member
Jan 2, 2002
337
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I have been in el Cruce Ysalgez in Licey to vote again the purple plague is buying votes. The area within the cross roads is a full of men paying for votes. Is there any law to persecute these criminals that seems to take over a presidential elections. Security should be establish within 300 ft from pooling stations.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
40,964
936
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I went with Alida to the catholic Church/School in Santiago where she votes. Very orderly and non-chaotic. Getting in and out of La Sirena is much harder.

She likes Guillermo Moreno, but knows he has no shot.