The Central Electoral Board announced yesterday that the
next election scheduled for May of 2004 will cost RD$1.4 billion pesos. This is
the JCE budget alone, and does not include the funds given to the political
parties by the Electoral Law, or the funds the political parties will raise on
their own. At the same time, Nelson G?mez, the president of the Administrative
Chamber of the board, said that the timetable for the election was going
according to plan. The budget included RD$550 million pesos for normal
operational expenses, RD$327 million for organizing the elections, RD$90 million
for the computer system and RD$120 million for advertising.
G?mez also told reporters that Santiago Murray of the Organization of American
States Unit for the Promotion of Democracy will lead a small delegation of
electoral judges that will meet with the political parties. One of the points on
the agenda will be to request the party?s approval for a test run of electronic
voting.