The general verdict to be read from the municipal election is that the Dominican people want new authorities to govern the country. The leading opposition party swept most of the 158 municipalities in the country. When the vote count was stopped at 2:55am on Monday, 16 March, the PRM was the clear winner of the election, despite a record high abstention.
The PRM lead in 14 of the 19 municipalities with the most population. The PLD lead in Santo Domingo North and Santiago.
In the National District, with 54% of the votes counted Carolina Mejia of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) had a comfortable lead of 60% to 38% of her nearest contender, Domingo Contreras of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).
In Higuey, Karina Aristy running for a coalition of the Partido Liberal Reformista and the ruling PLD, lost her bid for a fifth city government to the coalition of parties backing PRM candidate Rafael Duluc “Cholitín,” with 68% of the votes counted. Duluc maintains an almost double amount of votes to Aristy. This election could have an effect on the bid for reelection by senator Amable Aristy Castro, a long time political kingpin in the east of the country.
In Puerto Plata, the PRM candidate Roquelito García of clearly defeated incumbent Walter Musa who sought to be reelected for a fourth time with the backing of the ruling PLD. With 58% of the vote counted, García was winning with a difference of 50% to 35%.
In Santiago, incumbent Abel Martínez running for the PLD will be the second largest city mayor for another four years. With 70% of the votes counted, Martinez had a lead of 45% to 34% over the PRM candidate, Ulises Rodríguez. Martínez ran for the PLD, but he also had the backing of former President Leonel Fernandez, a PLD dissident. Martinez is regarded as the best mayor the city has had over the past two decades.
Manuel Jimenez, running for the PRM, pulled a victory in Santo Domingo East, the municipality with the most eligible voters in the country. With 54% of the votes accounted for, He had 51% of the vote to 30% of Luis Alberto Tejeda of the ruling PLD.
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El Dia
16 March 2020