In the run-up to what could well be the most monitored Dominican election ever, Hoy newspaper reports today that approximately 8,000 national and international observers will monitor the 2004 Presidential election. Participacion Ciudadana has registered 6,513 Dominican observers, while the Central Electoral Board (JCE) has also accredited 210 foreign observers from the United States, the European Union, Panama, Paraguay, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Peru, Nicaragua and Mexico. The largest international observer mission is that of the Organization of American States, which has 160 registered observers. At the request of Congressman Bob Menendez in the United States, the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia has sent five observers. Furthermore, the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) and the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), both based in Washington, DC, will be coming from the United States.
The European Union is encouraging transparency in the 2004 election with US$200,000 in support to the OAS Electoral Mission. Furthermore, the European Union is contributing 20 observers that will be working autonomously.
Alfonso Abreu Collado of Participacion Ciudadana said that in addition to their 6,513 accredited Dominican observers, they have invited 30 international observers to participate in the monitoring. Abreu Collado said that PC will also have 30 observers monitoring the voting procedure at the polling stations for expatriate Dominicans abroad.
Abreu Collado says they will release a report on the opening of the voting stations at around 2pm on Sunday, 16 May, election day. At around 10pm that evening, they expect to have the preliminary vote count ready, and would hand this over, as they have done in the past, to the authorities of the Central Electoral Board and to an outside individual who has been chosen. He said this is done just in case of conflict, ?although we are not expecting this to be the case this time around.?
Hoy newspaper also runs a story on the many eyes watching the local proceedings in the international press.