More than 520,000 registered Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) party members were eligible to vote for party directors in the national convention of the leading opposition party held on Sunday, 18 March 2018.
Tony Raful, director of the internal party election estimated that 75% of all registered voters turned up to vote on Sunday. The first bulletin showed Puerto Plata senator Jose Paliza heading the vote for president of the party with 86.6%. Likewise, Carolina Mejía was leading the vote for secretary general with 79.2%. These two were the candidates of the coalition reached between party leaders, former President Hipólito Mejia and former PRM presidential candidate Luis Abinader.
Raful acknowledged in some areas the vote started late, but he said this would not affect the outcome of the convention. The vote was set for 8am to 5pm nationwide.
The PRM members are voting to choose a new party president, 21 vice presidents, a secretary general and 21 deputy secretary general. Those chosen will be in their positions for four years. The directors will be responsible to prepare the political party’s campaign for the 2020 general election.
The aspirants for president of the PRM are Puerto Plata senator José Ignacio Paliza, who has the backing of the two main party leaders former President Hipólito Mejía and former PRM presidential candidate Luis Abinader, and also pediatrician Jesús Feris Iglesias and politician Geanilda Vásquez.
The aspirants for secretary general are Carolina Mejía (with the backing of her father Hipólito Mejía and Luis Abinader), also agronomist Leonardo Faña, and present secretary general Jesús Vásquez Martínez (Chu), Anury de León and Andrés Lugo.
The PRM said some 1.6 million ballots were printed for 524,675 registered voters. Some 1,920 voting centers were prepared nationwide and in the United States and Europe. The organization is said to be cost over RD$20 million, says organizing commission president, Tony Raful.
This is a first phase of the National Ordinary Convention. A second then for the delegates is set for 8 April and a final fase, the national delegates will be held on 22 April.
On Friday, 16 March, the incumbent president Andrés Bautista withdrew his bid to seek reelection. In a press conference Bautista complained he had not received the voting list. “I will not be an accomplice of possible irregularities in an event this important. Our party must not take a step backwards,” as reported in Diario Libre.
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7 Dias
El Dia
7 Dias
19 March 2018
