The Central Electoral Board (JCE) judges agreed with political parties that the government would pick up most of the tab for choosing their presidential candidates in the 2020 general election. In the past, the cost to choose the candidates was covered totally by the political parties. The Political Parties Law had established that the cost of the primaries would be deducted from taxpayer funding to the political parties.
In the meeting held at the JCE on 5 February 2019, nevertheless, the JCE agreed to cover RD$1.25 billion of the additional RD$1.5 billion cost for the government to organize the simultaneous primaries. The political parties will only contribute RD$200 million in quotas from now to December 2019, said president of the JCE, Julio Cesar Castaños. He said minority parties will contribute in the same proportion that they receive state funds.
The PLD, PRD, Al Pais and Opcion Democratica have adhered to open primaries. The PRM adhered to closed primaries. The primaries will all be held on the same day.
The political parties also agreed to new rules proposed by the Central Electoral Board (JCE) that will be assisting these with the organizing of the primaries. The political parties have accepted the implementation of the automated vote and the software the JCE technicians have developed for the elections.
The 2020 chronology calls for municipal elections on 16 February 2020. On 17 May 2020, citizens will vote for president and vice president and for legislators. To win these elections 50% + 1 of the vote is needed. Likewise, a run off election date of 28 June 2020 has been set in the case no single candidate meets the 50% + 1 requirement.
The JCE agreed to let the political parties audit the votes issued after the primary process is completed.
An editorial in El Dia protests the decision by the JCE to order taxpayers to pay for the primaries to choose their key candidates for the 2020 general elections. The editorialist says that the PLD, PRM and PRD would be receiving RD$903 million more than what the Political Parties Financing Law establishes, or a total of RD$2.15 billion.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
El Dia
El Dia
El Dia
6 February 2019
