The mayor of Santiago, Abel Martinez was declared winner of the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) presidential candidate consultation with 75.48% of the votes counted by Bulletin #6. As of Bulletin #6, Martinez had received 213,185 votes, for 60.87%. Former Minister of Environment Francisco Domínguez Brito had received 73,137 votes, for 20.82%, former Vice President Margarita Cedeño received 57,024 votes (16.23%). Former Labor Minister Maritza Hernández received 3,737 votes (1.06%), Karen Ricardo 2,672 (0.76%); and Luis de León, 1,520 (0.44%).
Alejandrina German, president of the organizing committee for the political candidate consultation, said a clear trend favors Martinez.
“This triumph is not one of Abel Martinez. This triumph is of the PLD and with the PLD,” said the candidate once he learned of the results. He said that the win was also one of Francisco Dominguez Brito, of Margarita Cedeño de Fernandez, who he said had called to congratulate him on the win, and of fellow contenders Maritza Hernandez and Karen Ricardo. He assured his followers: “The PLD in 2024 will win without doubt.”
The consultation took place on Sunday, 16 October 2022 with voting centers set up at 1,037 public schools nationwide. The vote was open to party members and persons who had not registered for another political party. Polling stations opened at 8am and closed at 5pm.
Abel Martinez, a former president of the Chamber of Deputies during the presidency of Leonel Fernandez, was declared the pre-candidate for the party. The Central Electoral Board has not yet opened the electoral campaign to officially choose the presidential candidates for the general elections in May 2024.
Both Listin Diario and Hoy newspapers reported that the number of eligible voters that showed up for the consultation was low. Alejandrina German estimated the votes to be around 500,000 nationwide.
The PLD was government under former President Leonel Fernandez from 1996-2000, and then from 2004-2008 and 2008-2012. It continued in power under former President Danilo Medina from 2012-2016 and 2016-2020. The party was ousted in the 2020 vote with calls to end major corruption in government.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Hoy
Listin Diario
17 October 2022