2026News

JCE starts new ID with first issued to its own staff

The first person to officially begin the new ID process is Digna Mercedes Díaz Rodríguez on Thursday, 8 January 2026. The process is underway to renew the identification cards in the Dominican Republic that at present are all expired.

Diaz Rodriguez was chosen because she is the longest-serving employee of the Central Electoral Board (JCE). She was the first person to undergo the biometric data capture process (fingerprints, photo, etc.) when the JCE launched the internal enrollment phase on Thursday.

President Luis Abinader is scheduled to receive his new identity document on Monday, 26 January 2026 (Juan Pablo Duarte’s birthday). His enrollment is intended to mark the symbolic start of the mass issuance phase. Meanwhile, the internal staff process that began with Digna Mercedes Diaz Rodriguez is underway.

The JCE says the ID issuance process has begun with an internal rollout of its own personnel nationwide to ensure the system is secure and efficient before the general public phase. The process described follows this specific four-step workflow:
• Ticket system: The employee first takes a ticket from the turn management system to ensure an ordered flow.
• Biometric capture: The person proceeds to the capture station where their photos and fingerprints are taken.
• Data collection: Personal data is collected or updated in the system.
• Verification: The user (the employee in this case) verifies their own data on the screen to confirm accuracy before finalizing the record.

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Listin Diario

12 January 2026