Some 4,129,554 Dominicans were able to vote in the 10,174 voting stations all around the country. A high abstention characterized this election, though. The abstention surpassed 46%, reflecting in part the rejection of the population to its politicians. Polls earlier had shown that Dominicans have a poor opinion of their politicians. In Santo Domingo, abstention for the congressional vote was 60%. Only 267,225 persons voted in the National District (Santo Domingo). In the presidential elections of 1996, abstention was only 20%. Even the PRD received 30% less of the vote than in 1996 presidential elections. 400,000 less people voted for PRD candidates in these elections than in the 1996 elections. Among factors causing the abstention were that in this election, with Dr. José Francisco Peña Gómez absent, it was not necessary to vote against someone. But neither did the candidates motivate the persons to vote for. Political analysts say the young set did not vote as hoped. Young people and women were the categories of voters that most abstained. Also, the early Saturday morning rain affected the vote of women in Santo Domingo.
