The Junta Central Electoral, the Dominican government organization in charge of organizing elections, officially opened the municipal and congressional electoral campaign. All political campaigning must end 48 hours before Election Day, on 16 May 1998. Parties must register their candidates by 17 March. Nineteen parties have registered in an attempt to win the 15 major positions and the same number of vice mayors, eight more than in the elections of 1994. There will be 30 senatorial positions and 149 deputies elected to National Congress, 29 more than 1994. Some 756 aldermen will also be elected. The Junta Central Electoral’s financial assistance to the parties for campaigns will be delivered on 27 March. The Junta Central Electoral said that all civic organizations, political parties and the government should unite efforts so that the abstention in the elections not be more than in the last election, that was about 21%.
