Despite the economic crisis, the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the body that oversees political elections in the DR and the civil registry, has requested a RD$2.46-billion allotment in the 2005 budget. Listin Diario reports that this is RD$575 million more than what was spent to organize the Presidential election in May 2004. Of the total amount requested, RD$2.17 billion would purportedly go to expenses and RD$290 million, or about 11%, to equipment. The JCE has designated RD$487 million to the organization of the political parties’ primaries, a new responsibility it has taken on as per a law that was passed this year. Another RD$263 million is allotted to pre-electoral expenditures and a further RD$47 million to continue the drive to facilitate voting from abroad. An estimated 67% of the entire budget, or RD$1.66 billion, has been earmarked for operational expenditures, of which 40% goes to pay wages. Another RD$197.8 million is allotted to the automation of the civil and electoral registries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Despite the economic crisis, the Central Electoral Board (JCE), the body that oversees political elections in the DR and the civil registry, has requested a RD$2.46-billion allotment in the 2005 budget. Listin Diario reports that this is RD$575 million more than what was spent to organize the Presidential election in May 2004. Of the total … <\/p>\n