The automated voting system that the Central Electoral Board (JCE) wants to implement in the primaries set for 6 October 2019 would cost around RD$711.2 million, or 49% of the budget planned for these elections (RD$1.449 billion). The money would be spent to purchase the equipment and on the educational campaign to inform the public on its use. An estimated RD$561.2 million would be invested in equipment, testing and training, and the placement of kiosks in public places. Another RD$150 million would be used for the promotional campaign, including legal notices, materials and placement of ads in all sorts of media. RD$318 million is allotted to pay staff that will work the primaries, from the JCE all the way down to the people at the polling places. Another RD$281 million is allotted to operations expenses; RD$95 million for materials and RD$43 million for training.
The JCE established that the political parties that will be using the primary system to choose their candidates will contribute RD$200 million to the effort, and the government would pick up the rest of the bill.
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Diario Libre
11 February 2019
