More than 80% of Dominicans who live abroad were not motivated to vote in the Sunday, 19 May 2024 presidential and congressional elections. This compares to the abstention for those registered to vote in the Dominican Republic that was 45%.
Listin Diario reports that the ruling Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) received most of the votes of the diaspora. President Luis Abinader sought reelection on the PRM ticket. Listin Diario reports that the overall abstention was 82%. Some 863,784 were registered to vote abroad in the 19 May general election.
The official results published by the Central Electoral Board (JCE) show that in Voter District 01, with 549,553 registered to vote, only 96,027 (17.47%) did so at the polling stations set up in Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, Reading, Washington DC, California and Providence in the United States and in Montreal and Toronto in Canada. This made for a 82.53% abstention for Voting District 01.
Of those who voted in Voter District 01, the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) received 55,666 votes or 60.10%, the People’s Force (Fuerza del Pueblo) 16,372 (18%) and the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) 7,251 or 7.97%.
In Voter District 02, that covers Florida (Orlando and Miami), Panama, Puerto Rico, St. Martin, Venezuela, Chile and Curacao, of 164,795 persons registered to vote, only 31,183 (18.92%) did so, for a 81.08% abstention.
In those countries the Modern Revolutionary Party obtained 17,776 votes, for 59.99%; Fuerza del Pueblo 5,177 (17.47%) and the Dominican Liberation Party 3,162 for 10.67%.
In Voter District 03, in Europe, including Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia (Spain), Holland, Milan, and Zurich, of the 149,436 Dominicans registered, 37,250 voted. This voting district registered the highest participation of voters abroad with 24.93%, according to the final vote count of the Central Electoral Board (JCE), Listin Diario reports.
In Europe the PRM reached 20,760 votes, for 57.64%; Fuerza del Pueblo 6,206 (17.23%) and the PLD 4,484 for 7.97%.
Diario Libre interviewed sociologist Joel Arboleta who said that one of the explanations for the low vote abroad is that there was “no situation of relevance to society is at stake.” “There would be, or not, a change of government, but we were not risking a major political change, there was no threat to democracy,” he said.
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Listin Diario
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
23 May 2024