DR: Polling Stations Close Amid Calm General Elections Day

May 19, 2024 Hour: 4:32 pm

The polling stations officially closed their doors in the Dominican Republic, after the celebration this Sunday of the presidential and legislative elections, although those still inside the centers are allowed to vote.

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This Sunday’s general elections in the Dominican Republic take place in a calm and orderly manner, according to local media and authorities, with just some delays in the opening of some polling stations, both at home and abroad.

The polling stations officially opened their doors at 07:00 local time (11:00 GMT), but long before there were people in line, a flow that has remained constant, although without crowds, report local media.

#Watch | Santo Domingo electoral authorities report smooth preparations for Sunday’s #elections to elect a new president for the #DominicanRepublic, with military personnel patrolling the Central Electoral Board building and carrying voting materials pic.twitter.com/IegITtErWU

— DD India (@DDIndialive)
May 19, 2024

“I urge all citizens to go to the polls and exercise their right to vote. The participation of each of you is crucial to the development and well-being of our nation,” said current President Luis Abinader in X, who seeks a re-election.

Abinader, who starts as a favorite according to the polls, said that so far there have been no notable incidents on election day, and also pronounced the presidential candidate of the People’s Force, former head of state Leonel Fernández, second in the polls, who called the participation of voters “active”, “dynamic” and “enthusiastic”.

The Central Electoral Board (JCE) will release the first results either with 20% of the votes counted, or from 20:30 local time this Sunday (00:30 GMT on Monday), and also then provide the first official data of participation.

More than 8.1 million citizens were called to the polls (more than 800,000 of them abroad) to elect the president of the country, the vice president and the members of the bicameral Congress (32 senators and 190 deputies)as well as 20 Dominican representatives in the Central American Parliament (Parlacen).