The Central Electoral Board reports that the logistics part of the organization has been met. The 158 electoral boards already have the needed materials for the celebration of the 5 July elections.
There are 4,618 polling locations and in these 16,001 polling stations are being installed. Abroad, 1,099 polling places are being installed in 277 voting locations.
Political parties now have until midnight of Thursday, 2 July 2020 to close their campaigns for the presidential and congressional elections. Polls show most Dominicans have made up their mind for who to vote. Around 30% of the vote is in the hands of people 30 years or less. The breakdown is 17% those 18 to 25 years and 12% those 26 to 30 years. There are 881,242 new voters compared to the elections in 2016.
This segment is expected to decide the election. In previous years, these voters were not into politics, not so this time around when there has been a surge in interest in politics in the millennial generation.
The ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) has said it will close the campaign with events in San Pedro de Macoris and Santo Domingo. On Wednesday, the party leaders held a press conference to present accusations that they would be victims of fraudulent activities orchestrated by the opposition with the backing of the Civic Participation group and journalists.
The opposition Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) closed its campaign on Wednesday, with an event that took place at the Parque Eugenio Maria de Hostos in the National District. Former Mayor David Collado joined presidential candidate Luis Abinader. “This is the generation that is going to change the Dominican Republic,” said Luis Abinader in his first words at the event. “This is the generation that is going to bring transparency to government, the same way David brought transparency to the city government,” he said.
As of Saturday evening, there is a ban on the sale of alcohol. The idea is that Dominicans think clearly of who they will vote for.
All campaigning needs to stop at midnight of Thursday, 2 July.
600,000 observers are registered for the 5 July election, making it the most observed in Dominican history. As reported, 595,406 persons are authorized as observers. Another 3,000 professional observers from the Civic Participation (PC) organization are participating and 90 from the American States Organization.
Ines Aizpun, managing editor for Diario Libre, expresses a popular wish that the election be decided on 5 July 2020 and not have to go to a second round on 26 July. The next President is scheduled to be sworn in on 16 August.
The editorialist for El Dia highlights the “inevitability” of the 5 July election, highlighting that the Dominican Constitution does not contemplate another option but to go ahead with the election in times of the pandemic.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Dia
El Dia
2 July 2020