NewsWhore
05-28-2010, 04:20 PM
Civic group Citizen Participation (PC in Spanish) has issued its fourth and last bulletin on its observation process of the 16 May congressional and municipal elections. According to the bulletin, the elections were marked by an increase in political patronage, turncoats who switched parties, and the abuse of state resources. PC says that this represents serious setbacks for the internal democracy of the parties and the prevalence of irregularities in the vote counting, despite greater organizational efforts by the Central Electoral Board (JCE).
Based on what they observed, PC coordinator Santiago Sosa called for the urgent approval of the "Law of Political Parties".
The group points out that as soon as the JCE began issuing bulletins with the partial results of the elections, the political parties began to complain, especially in areas where the difference was just a few votes.
One reform that the citizens group says that the legislature needs to consider is the separation of the ballots for senators from those for deputies and the separation of the election of mayors from that of the city council members.
The movement also suggested expanding educational campaigns and public debates between the candidates.
"We note that the number of valid votes in these elections only reached 56% of the registered voters, with abstention levels above 50% in the major urban areas of the National District (55%), the province of Santo Domingo (53%, Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris (48%) and La Romana (47%)".
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)
Based on what they observed, PC coordinator Santiago Sosa called for the urgent approval of the "Law of Political Parties".
The group points out that as soon as the JCE began issuing bulletins with the partial results of the elections, the political parties began to complain, especially in areas where the difference was just a few votes.
One reform that the citizens group says that the legislature needs to consider is the separation of the ballots for senators from those for deputies and the separation of the election of mayors from that of the city council members.
The movement also suggested expanding educational campaigns and public debates between the candidates.
"We note that the number of valid votes in these elections only reached 56% of the registered voters, with abstention levels above 50% in the major urban areas of the National District (55%), the province of Santo Domingo (53%, Santiago and San Pedro de Macoris (48%) and La Romana (47%)".
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#4)