Traditionally, Dominican voters cast their ballots for a party, and sometimes for a candidate. The parties assign positions on the ballot according to the party’s preference, with favorites usually placed first or second on the list. This means that if the party only obtains enough votes for one deputy, the candidate in the first slot gets the seat. However, that is about to change. According to the legislation just passed, the preferential vote is that which is carried out by closed and unblocked lists, which permits the voter to choose the candidate without reference to the position the candidate occupies on the proposed list of the political party.
The preferential vote is currently instituted by the Central Electoral Board (JCE) based on Article 120 of the Election Law, dated 21 December 1997. It establishes that for the election of the deputies in the voting districts, the voter can vote for a certain candidate, marking the space with the candidate’s photograph, and if it is for the party or political group, by just marking the block with the symbol and/or the letters of the party, establishing that in this case the vote cast does not favor any particular candidate, and as a consequence this vote will be added to the total number of votes obtained by the party in question.
Nevertheless, the vote for the deputy will continue to be counted for the candidate for senator.
The legislation also provides for the proposals of the candidates for each district to be supported by the decision of the party conventions, according to their statutes and respecting the quota of women. This will eliminate the selection of candidates through appointment by party bosses.