Now that the countdown for the 16 May election has begun, several people are having second thoughts about the so-called “closed colleges” whereby Dominicans have two-and-a-half hours to register at the polling stations, and only then are permitted to vote. Members of the PRSC, but not its presidential candidate Jacinto Peynado, opened the issue by saying that there would be a large number of abstentions. The president of the JCE has also spoken of his concern.
The president of the Senate, Amable Aristy Castro, suggested that the JCE not impose the ruling that women should vote in the morning and men in the afternoon, because many will not attend as a result of this measure. He considered that voters should be allowed to vote at any time of the day they find convenient. “I insist that this concept of closed colleges is a crass mistake,” said the president of the Senate. He observed that this type of system is not used anywhere else in the world and there are no reasons why it should be put into effect in the D.R. He said one cannot force women to get up at 5 am to go out to register to vote.
The president in function of the PRSC, Donald Reid Cabral, also insisted in an interview with the Listín Diario that “in the next election there will be a great number of abstentions.” He attributed the decline in voters to the post-electoral crisis of 1994 that engendered a feeling of frustration amongst a great number of them who think that their ballot was not respected. He pointed to the 150,000 Dominicans that did not collect their voting cards. He also pointed to the closed colleges, which he called an obsolete system that was used in Puerto Rico with poor results, and then abandoned. He said that couples will not be able to vote together, and suggested that citizens should be allowed to exercise the franchise in the order of their surnames.
One political commentator said that the position of the PRSC spokesmen reflects the two factions existent within the government party – those that favor President Balaguer and the status quo speak of abstentions and are pessimistic about the outcome, which does not help the aspirations of Jacinto Peynado, who heads a different faction within the party.
Furthermore, one political observer told The NEWS that U.S. officials fear President Balaguer would find a way to remain in power. One scenario is that large abstentions will be experienced if President Balaguer announces he will not vote, motivating many more to follow his example. This is not a widely-shared view.
On the same subject the PRD and PLD, the two leading opposition parties, feel that if the JCE steps up the pace of its educational campaign there will be no problems with the closed colleges, and the population will go to vote in large numbers.
Vicente Sanchez Baret, speaking for the PRD, thinks that the need for a change in government and the interest caused in the election by the candidates themselves will result in Dominicans going to the polls in large numbers. He forecast the highest ever turnout.
Speaking for the PLD, Temistocles Montas, considered that the level of abstentions will be reduced, especially if the Junta carries out an intense educational campaign to explain the process and encourage people to exercise their right to choose the next President.