In a press conference called at the Central Electoral Board (JCE) on the afternoon of Monday, 7 October 2019, the president of the JCE, Julio Cesar Casta\u00f1os Guzm\u00e1n spoke with pride of the outcome of the country’s first fully automated voting process and defended the country’s first primaries organized by the electoral organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking about the highly contested primary to choose the presidential candidate for the ruling Dominican Liberation Party (PLD), Casta\u00f1os said that the JCE does not have a problem with auditing the source code used for the automated voting procedure. “It does not contain any computer function that could have created a malicious count,” he said, disputing claims made by former President Leonel Fernandez and his team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Casta\u00f1os said that the simultaneous primaries were carried out in a transparent manner unprecedented in the history of the Dominican Republic. For the first time, the country learned of the winners of an election as the votes were being counted. 99% of the votes had been counted just three hours after the close of the primary. Those interested watched the vote count that was streamed live for everyone to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The presidential pre-candidate for the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) Leonel Fernandez denounced on Sunday, 6 October 2019 that an algorithm in the source code of the software had altered the results at the presidential level. His team has yet to formally present their request for the audit. He has requested that a highly reputed company with the backing of the European Union delegation, the United States embassy and the Organization of American States carry out the audit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fern\u00e1ndez had requested initially a physical count of all the votes. Francisco (Pancho) Alvarez of Participaci\u00f3n Ciudadana civic watchdog group told Diario Libre: “It is better to spend a week counting the votes now that the 100% is in instead of months of having to hear recourses in the courts.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Public Works Minister, 58-year old businessman Gonzalo Castillo, who ran representing the Danilista faction of the ruling party, defeated three-time President Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez, who is also president of the PLD. With 100% of the votes counted, the JCE had said that Gonzalo Castillo received 48.72% of the vote (911,923 votes) against 47.29% (885,233 votes) for Fern\u00e1ndez. The other participating pre-candidates were Melanio Paredes (12,751 votes), Maritza Hern\u00e1ndez (11,973 votes) and Manuel Crespo (10,335 votes).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those voting for “none” were 39,539. Former Attorney General Radhames Jimenez argues that 70% of the “none” votes should have been credited to Leonel Fern\u00e1ndez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The JCE has removed the vote count from its website and has not announced the official final tally of the PLD primary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There were 7,372 voting tables for the primaries in 3,890 locations, with a total of 6,710 pre-candidates. The primaries cost taxpayers RD$2,416,845,800.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Read more in Spanish: 8 October 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In a press conference called at the Central Electoral Board (JCE) on the afternoon of Monday, 7 October 2019, the president of the JCE, Julio Cesar Casta\u00f1os Guzm\u00e1n spoke with pride of the outcome of the country’s first fully automated voting process and defended the country’s first primaries organized by the electoral organization. Speaking about … <\/p>\n
Listin Diario<\/a>
Diario Libre<\/a>
El Dia<\/a>
Diario Libre<\/a>
Hoy<\/a>
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Hoy<\/a>
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Participacion Ciudadana<\/a>
Hoy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n