Several leading civic organizations, including the National Young Entrepreneurs? Association (ANJE), Educa, the Foundation for Institutionalism and Justice (FINJUS), the National Business Council (CONEP) and Participacion Ciudadana criticized the fact that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) prefers not to issue an opinion on the widespread use of public funds for the re-election campaign of President Hipolito Mejia. El Caribe reports that a document underwritten by the civic organizations laments that the board has declined to take any initiative regarding the abuse of government resources by political parties in their campaigns, despite the Electoral Law that empowers the JCE to do so. With a vote of 5-4, the JCE judges refused to issue an opinion on the grounds that other candidates seeking re-election while in office have acted similarly.