Opposition parties are united in their request for an opinion from the Central Electoral Board (JCE) to define what some understand is an ambiguity in the clause in the new Electoral Regime Law that calls for separating the senator and deputy election votes. In the 2016 elections, the votes for deputies of one party counted for the election of the senator of that same party.
Representatives of the Partido Revolucionario Moderno (PRM), Partido Revolucionario Social Demócrata (PRSD), Bloque Institucional Social Demócrata (BIS), Partido Quisqueyano Demócrata Cristiano (PQDC), Frente Amplio, Partido Verde and the Partido Unidad Nacional (PUN) filed a petition with the JCE for the separation of the votes. The Partido Revolucionario Social Cristiano (PRSC) president Federico Antún had separately advocated that voters be able to choose by direct vote both senators and deputies of their preference.
The JCE has requested that Congress send the notes and minutes of the bicameral meetings leading to the drafting of the changes in the Electoral Regime Law prior to issuing its interpretation of articles 92 and 130.
As reported, the present senators, most from the ruling PLD, would have the most to gain from maintaining the rule whereby the votes cast for deputies would count for the senators.
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Listin Diario
Z101
Notimas
Hoy
30 April 2019