The plenary of the Central Electoral Board (JCE) says it is going ahead with the organization of the presidential and congressional election set for 17 May 2020. The JCE has sent the daily programming for the preparing of the elections to the political parties, with a final list of activities expected to be ready by 6 April. According to the agenda, the bidding process for the printing of the ballots needs to be held from 1 to 10 April, with the printing of the ballots scheduled for 15 April 2020.
The Dominican Republic is in a declared State of Emergency until 14 April 2020. The Dominican Republic is in curfew period since Friday, 28 March through Friday, 3 April 2020. The State of Emergency and the curfew could be extended.
Recent polls in early March showed the opposition party Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM) with a comfortable lead over the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), prior to the onset of the coronavirus crisis following the 15 March municipal election. PRM delegate to the JCE Orlando Jorge Mera has said the party is open to a postponement but that the election should take place in time for the change of government on 16 August 2020. Other parties have spoken in favor of the postponing of the election.
A ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) legislator for Independencia province, Juan Olando Mercedes had proposed elections be moved for 2021 due to the Covid-19 virus. But the president of the PLD, Temístocles Montás disallowed him to speak for the party. Administrative Minister of the Presidency Jose Ramón Peralta said that President Danilo Medina would not remain in power one minute after the 10am change of government deadline on 16 August 2020.
The United States State Department notified the Dominican Consulate in New York that holding of face-to-face elections are not allowed in the United States during the times of Covid-19 virus. The State Department recommends voting by mail or any other method that does not involve physical presence. There are around 600,000 Dominicans registered to vote in the presidential and congressional elections, of which around 400,000 live in the United States, most in the state of New York.
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El Dia
31 March 2020