Electoral Observations in the Americas Series, No. 13

Electoral Observation in the Dominican Republic 1998 Secretary General César Gaviria

Assistant Secretary General Christopher R. Thomas

Executive Coordinator, Unit for the Promotion of Democracy Elizabeth M. Spehar

This publication is part of a series of UPD publications of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States. The ideas, thoughts, and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the OAS or its member states. The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors. OEA/Ser.D/XX SG/UPD/II.13 August 28, 1998 Original: Spanish

Electoral Observation in the Dominican Republic 1998

General Secretariat Organization of American States Washington, D.C. 20006 1998 Design and composition of this publication was done by the Information and Dialogue Section of the UPD, headed by Caroline Murfitt-Eller. Betty Robinson helped with the editorial review of this report and Jamel Espinoza and Esther Rodriguez with its production.

Copyright @ 1998 by OAS. All rights reserved. This publication may be reproduced provided credit is given to the source. Table of contents

Preface...... vii

CHAPTER I Introduction ...... 1

CHAPTER II Pre-election situation ...... 5

Legal framework...... 7 Convocation of the elections ...... 9 Political parties, candidates, election campaign ...... 9 Complaints received during the pre-election period...... 10 Civil society organizations ...... 11 Message from the President of the Republic...... 11 Message from the Central Election Board ...... 11

CHAPTER III Activities of the Electoral Observation Mission...... 13

Structure and territorial distribution...... 15 Pre-election phase ...... 17 Election day ...... 17 Post-election phase...... 19 Conclusions ...... 20

Preface

Democratic ideals and principles have always been present in the Inter-American System. In 1948, the Charter of Bogota proclaimed that "the solidarity of the American States and the high aims which are sought through it, require the political organization of those states on the basis of the effective exercise of representative democracy."

Forty years later, with the entrance into force of the Protocol of Cartagena de Indias in 1988, the members of the Organization of American States (OAS) decided to include among the essential objectives of the Organization, the promotion and consolidation of representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of non-intervention. This established a political and legal framework through which the member states demonstrated a renewed and strengthened commitment to the defense and collective promotion of democracy, as well as to the key role to be played by the OAS.

The next year in Washington, D.C., the General Assembly recommended to the Secretary General that he organize and send electoral observation missions to the member states that requested them. This was followed in 1990 with the request from the General Assembly in Asuncion to the Secretary General for the creation of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD).

In 1991, in Santiago de Chile, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 1080 on "Representative Democracy." This measure instructed the Secretary General, in the event of a sudden or irregular interruption of the democratic process in any member state, to immediately request a meeting of the Permanent Council in order to assess the situation and take appropriate measures.

Finally, in December of 1992, an extraordinary meeting of the General Assembly approved the Protocol of Washington in which the Charter of the OAS was amended to include a provision authorizing the suspension by a two-thirds majority of the right of a member state, whose government had been overthrown by force, to participate in the governing bodies of the OAS. The Protocol is pending ratification by a two thirds majority of member states.

On this wave of democratic momentum, the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD) of the OAS emerged as a key long-term mechanism for democratic development and consolidation within the Americas. Established on October 15, 1990 by Secretary General João Clemente Baena Soares, in conformity with the mandate of the 1990 General Assembly, the UPD provides "a program of support for democratic development which can respond promptly and effectively to member states, which in the full exercise of their sovereignty request Preface ix

advice or assistance to preserve or strengthen their political institutions and democratic procedures."

With this foundation, and only when requested by member states, the UPD undertakes projects in the areas of democratic education, and the strengthening of electoral and legislative institutions. An additional key function is to organize electoral observation missions in those countries that request them.

Recent OAS electoral observation activities stem from the conviction that an effective and transparent electoral process is a fundamental element in both the achievement and consolidation of representative democracy. They are always organized under the guidance of the Secretary General, however, and in response to a request from a member state.

Based on this framework, electoral observation missions have the following objectives: a) to observe the electoral process and report to the Secretary General using the constitution and electoral norms of the country as a point of reference; b) to cooperate with government, electoral and party officials, and with the general public in order to assure the integrity, impartiality and reliability of the electoral process; c) to serve as an informal conduit for consensus-building and conflict resolution among the participants in this process; and d) to encourage respect for established laws and procedures, and promote the use of existing mechanisms of the electoral system in the search for solutions to problems that may arise throughout the electoral process.

Some missions, such as the one carried out in Costa Rica in 1990, or in Colombia in 1994, are short term and more symbolic in nature. These are composed of small and specialized group of observers that usually remain in the host country for a brief duration, commencing shortly before, and ending shortly after, election day. Other cases of electoral observation - such as those presented in this publication - entail missions arriving weeks, sometimes months, ahead of election day, allowing them to be present for the entire electoral process. Such missions are therefore long-term and far more complex endeavors. These more involved operations generally begin with the study of the electoral norms that underpin the entire process. The OAS then proceeds to observe the voter registration process, survey electoral organization and preparation, and monitor development during the campaign period. Other activities center around the observance of media accessibility, freedom of the press, freedom of speech and of association, the proper use of state resources, the designation and training of election officials, the production and distribution of electoral rolls and materials, and the implementation of security measures. In addition, these missions provide a comprehensive evaluation of voting and vote tabulation procedures at the individual voting precincts, including the dispatch and receipt of results, the compilation of electoral information, election verification, and any other post-electoral developments. Such long-term electoral observations usually conclude when the central electoral authority announces the final electoral results. Electoral observation missions undertake a series of specific activities in order to fulfill these functions. These include meetings with candidates, political party representatives, electoral authorities, civic organizations and other relevant groups. The OAS also attends political meetings and rallies, monitors the media, receives and transmits to the proper authorities x Preface

complaints about electoral rule violations, and carries out statistical projections (quick counts) on election day.

In other words, electoral observation missions focus on those aspects or mechanisms of the electoral and political process that could potentially create conflicts among the various parties or affect the integrity or transparency of the results. The above activities and analyses, therefore, combined with electoral experience acquired by the OAS and other international organizations, enable missions to target weaknesses and formulate possible approaches and solutions.

Finally, it is important to mention that OAS missions of electoral observation are carried out by multi-disciplinary teams of international civil observers - experts in electoral systems, law, political science, education, information sciences, statistics, communications, logistics and other disciplines. Often under a sensitive political climate, observers are placed throughout the host country in an effort to cover the electoral process in as many urban and rural districts as possible. In addition, advanced and independent communications, computer and transportation systems permit the OAS to keep track of voting trends and maintain constant contact among observers.

The purpose of the current publication is to provide the general public, as well as more specialized readers, with related material on some of the electoral observation missions carried out by the UPD. We hope that the study and analysis of these experiences will contribute to a better understanding of the countries of the region, and to the body of knowledge on democratic values and practices, as we approach the twenty-first century.

This report was produced under the technical supervision of Santiago Murray, Chief of the Mission, Special Advisor of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, and with the assistance of Cristina Tomassoni, Senior Specialist of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy (UPD).

Elizabeth M. Spehar Executive Coordinator Unit for the Promotion of Democracy

CHAPTER I Introduction

Over the past 20 years the Organization of American States (OAS) has attended five elections of varying nature and circumstances in the Dominican Republic. 1

On May 16, 1998, an OAS Electoral Observation Mission once again had the opportunity to witness the elections for senators, deputies, mayors, and council members in a large number of the country's provinces, municipalities, and capital districts.

This mission originated in a note to Secretary General César Gaviria Trujillo dated March 16, 1998, in which Ambassador Flavio Dario Espinal, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic to the OAS, expressed his government's interest in having an observer mission visit that country for the elections to be held on May 16.2

Replying in a note dated March 27, the Secretary General said that he supported the request but that under the regulations the formation of the mission depended on whether external funding could be obtained for it.3 On his instructions, several delegations of OAS member states and permanent observer countries were approached and the governments of Canada and the United States of America agreed to collaborate.

Accordingly, the Dominican authorities were informed that arrangements for the mission had been ordered and that the Secretary General had designated Santiago Murray, Special Adviser of the Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, as its chief.

On May 13, 1998, the Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic and the Secretary General of the OAS signed the necessary Agreement on Privileges and Immunities.

1 Representatives of the Organization were present at the elections of 1966, 1978, 1990, 1994, and 1996. 2 See Appendix 1. 3 See Appendix 2.

CHAPTER II Pre-election situation

Legal Framework

The electoral system of the Dominican Republic is governed by the Constitution, the Election Law, a number of regulations, and resolutions or opinions issued by the Central Election Board (Junta Central Electoral, JCE).

Constitutional provisions

According to Article 4 of the Constitution, "the national government is civilian, republican, democratic, and representative," and its three branches–legislative, executive, and judicial exercise their respective functions independently.

Article 49 provides that executive power is exercised by the President, who is elected every four years by direct suffrage and not eligible for a second consecutive term.

In accordance with Article 86, the President of the Republic appoints the provincial governors.

Article 82 establishes that the National District and the municipalities are governed by mayors and council members, whose term is four years. The latter are elected in proportion to the population but may not be fewer than five.

In accordance with Article 16, the legislature is bicameral, with representatives elected by direct suffrage. The Senate is made up of 30 members, one for each province and one for the National District. They serve a four-year term (Article 21). The Chamber of Deputies is made up of representatives of the provinces and the National District, each representing 50,000 inhabitants or any fraction over 25,000. However, in no case may there be fewer than two (Article 24).

Judicial authority is exercised by the Supreme Court and lower courts. Supreme Court judges are appointed by the National Council of the Magistracy (Article 64).

The Constitution provides that elections are carried out by direct secret ballot and are governed by the Central Election Board and subordinate boards (Articles 91 and 92). The Constitution also provides that voting is compulsory, individual, free, and secret, and that any Dominican aged 18 or more, or who is younger and is or has been married, has the right to vote. 8 Pre-election situation

Election Law

The Election Law (Law No. 275/97), promulgated on December 21, 1997, contains provisions that are of fundamental importance for the administration of the electoral process.

This law provides that the Central Election Board (JCE) is an entity with legal status and budgetary autonomy and is composed of a chairman and four members elected by the Senate to four– year terms.4 The JCE has administrative and regulatory powers within its sphere of competence (Articles 3 and 4). Subordinate to it are the election boards based in the National District and in each of the municipalities (Article 17).

The Electoral Register is drawn up by individual registration, which is compulsory and free of charge. It is revised every 10 years, but the JCE may revise municipal electoral registers whenever it sees fit.

According to Article 35 of the Constitution, at each election the JCE sets up as many polling stations as it deems necessary. These are "closed" (Article 89); that is, besides appearing on the electoral roll, citizens must register within a specified time on the form of his or her polling station in order to be allowed to vote.5

Article 113 provides that voting is to take place in a single day, with women voting in the morning and men in the afternoon.

Article 68 stipulates that at least 25 percent of the candidates nominated by each political party for congressional and municipal posts must be women. For the May 1998 elections, the JCE issued Resolution 7 of February 6, 1998, in which it stated that this 25 percent applied separately to the municipal and provincial election levels. It further ordered that on the municipal level, when the number of posts to be filled was 12 or more, one in every four proposed candidates had to be a woman.

The Election Law provides for public financing to political parties by means of a fund equivalent to 0.5 percent of national income in general election years, and 0.25 percent in all other years. The law also sets out explicit rules on distribution and accountability. Article 35 prohibits contributions from foreign companies, governments, and institutions.

Beginning with the presidential elections in 2000, the Election Law will apply to Dominicans living abroad.6 The law also provides that the congressional and municipal elections in 2002 will be verified by electoral district “in order to ensure that the citizens elected are truly representative of the segment of the population that elects them.”

4 The JCE is chaired by Juan Sully Bonelly. The other members are Alejandro Asmar Sánchez, Cirilo Collado Luna, Luis Mora Guzmán, and Rafael Vallejo Santelises. 5 The Election Law provides that registration opens for women at 6:00 a.m., and for men at 1:00 p.m. For the elections of May 16, 1998, the JCE stipulated, by Resolution 9 of March 2, 1998, that for each shift the registration process would last two and a half hours, at the end of which the voting would begin. 6 However, the same article provides that the JCE will determine the date this provision enters into force. Pre-election situation 9

Convocation of the Elections

On January 30, 1998, the JCE issued an Electoral Proclamation decreeing that on May 16, 1998, regular general, congressional and municipal elections would be held to fill a total of 1,921 posts: 30 senators, 149 deputies,7 115 mayors and the same number of alternates, and 756 council members and their alternates. The proclamation called for nominations to be submitted by March 17, 1998, at the latest. Except for the government party, the political groups did not finish submitting their nominations until the expiration date set by the JCE. After the expiration date, owing to the death of José Francisco Peña Gómez, the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) entered new candidates for mayor (and alternate) of Santo Domingo on May 14.

By the end of the period prescribed by the JCE for voter registration and distribution of identity cards, more than 4.1 million persons had been registered to vote.8 It was decided to open 10,174 polling stations, and more than 70,000 people were appointed and trained to serve there as officials.

Political parties, candidates, election campaign

The following political parties registered candidates representing single parties or coalitions:

Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) Social Christian Reform Party (PRSC) Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) Independent Revolutionary Party (PRI) Party of the Dominican People (PPD) Institutional Democratic Party (PDI) National Renewal Party (PRN) Movement of National Reconciliation (MCN)

The PRD formed the Santo Domingo Pact with Democratic Unity (UD), the National Veterans and Civilians Party (PNVC), the Party of Dominican Workers (PTD), the Quisqueyan Democratic Party (PQD), the Popular and Christian Party (PPC), and the Social Democrat Block (BIS).

The National Force for Progress (FNP) and “La Estructura” Liberal Party entered into alliances with the PLD and PRSC, respectively.

Acts of violence were isolated, but seven people were killed.9 This prompted the JCE on April 27 to bring together the political parties, civil society movements, and representatives of the Church to sign a “Pact of Electoral Conduct.”

7 The reform of the Chamber of Deputies raised the number of members from 120 to 149. 8 The expiration date of February 28 was extended until March 13; and until May 8 for Dominicans resident abroad. The number of women registered was 2,056,674; of men, 2,072,880. 9 José Antonio Pérez, Víctor Manuel Pérez, Alcides Cruz García, Luis Santiago Pérez, Moisés Núñez, Néstor Julio de la Cruz Batista, and José Miguel Bautista Solís. In addition, a number of people were wounded. 10 Pre-election situation

In the days leading up to the elections two events occurred that, while not causing major changes in the results forecast by the opinion polls, had a considerable impact in one case, and certain repercussions in the other, on the course of the campaign.10

The first was the death of Mr. Peña Gómez on May 10. The President decreed three days of national mourning, during which time the election campaign was suspended. On May 13, masses of people attended the burial of Mr. Peña Gómez in the Cemetery of Christ the Reedemer. The Permanent Council of the OAS observed a minute of silence in his memory on that day.11

The second event was the involvement in the campaign of former President Joaquín Balaguer, who, two days before the elections, called on the Dominican people to vote for his party’s candidates.

Complaints received during the pre-election period

The main opposition parties, the PRD and PRSC, alleged that the government party (PLD) had repeatedly violated the Election Law during the campaign through the purchase of identity cards, unlawful use of government resources, a failure by public officials running as candidates to resign or take leave of absence as required, and the participation of the President in the campaigns of his party’s candidates.

The first case concerned the withholding of 93 identity cards so that they could be photocopied and used to register beneficiaries of an aid program called the Presidency Emergency Plan. In its investigation, the JCE concluded that “it was not possible to establish that the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) bought voting and identity cards, or that the holders of those cards had offered them for sale.” It added, however, “the withholding of an identity card, regardless of its purpose, constitutes an irregularity, that could give rise to justified complaints and disputes.”12

With respect to the other allegations, the JCE interviewed President Leonel Fernández on May 3, to ask him to persuade officials who were running for Congress or for municipal posts to take leave and to refrain from using government funds for campaign purposes. At the same time, however, it noted that there was no legal impediment to the head of state’s involving himself in the campaign on behalf of his party’s candidates.

10 The polls predicted a PRD victory by a wide margin. They also claimed that the PLD would increase its current number of senators and deputies (by 1 and 13, respectively). In the case of the PRSC, by contrast, they predicted a sharp decline in its number of representatives. 11 On that occasion, the Chairman of the Permanent Council, Ambassador Michael Arneaud of Trinidad and Tobago, said, “The late historic leader of the PRD was one of the leading champions of democracy in his country.” The Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the OAS, Flavio Darío Espinal, gave a brief account of Mr. Peña Gómez’s life and said that his death “leaves a void in the political life of my country.” The Secretary General of the OAS expressed condolences to the Dominican people and the family with the message that “the death of the eminent leader deprives the Dominicans of one of the foremost figures on the country’s political scene.” 12 See Appendix 3. Pre-election situation 11

Civil society organizations

Of all the civic movements seeking to strengthen democratic values in the country, the non–partisan Citizen Participation (Participación Ciudadana) is the one with the largest following. Among the activities of this nongovernmental organization is the monitoring of election campaigns and of the actual election. Its "Citizens’ Network" of national observers, present in most of the country's municipalities during the 1996 elections, has earned it a prestige recognized by government authorities, political parties, and the community at large.13

Since campaigns are a fundamental part of the electoral process, Citizen Participation issued a number of partial and comprehensive communiqués on its observation activities during the run-up to the 1998 elections.14 For election day on May 16 it designed an Electoral Observation Plan to provide blanket coverage of all polling places, with the aim of gathering and assessing quantitative and qualitative information about the progress of the voting process and the results.

The day before the elections, the PLD asked the JCE to revoke its resolution of May 12 authorizing 10,174 Citizen Participation observers to be present at all polling stations across the country, on the ground that this prerogative belonged only to recognized political parties. The JCE did not grant this request.

Message from the President of the Republic

In an address to the nation from the National Palace on May 15, the President asked the Dominican people for a massive turnout in an "orderly and civilized" manner. He started by evoking the memory of José Francisco Peña Gómez, and also made mention of the impartiality and civic spirit of the Central Election Board.

Message from the Central Election Board

On the day before the elections, the Chairman of the Central Election Board, Juan Sully Bonelly, issued an appeal that "no Dominican carrying an identity or voting card fail to go to the polls and cast his vote for his chosen candidate." Joined by all the members of the JCE, he pledged that "the elections will be clean and honest, and the results authentic and released promptly."

13 The National Council, consisting of 13 members, was chaired at that time by Dr. Rafael Toribio and the Executive Directorate of the organization was administered by Dr. Carmen Amelia Cedeño. 14 The communiqués appear in Appendix 4.

CHAPTER III Activities of the Electoral Observation Mission

Structure and territorial distribution

The Mission, made up of 10 observers from eight member countries, worked from May 13 to 20, 1998.15

Mission headquarters, in Santo Domingo, was in charge of coordination and financial management, including substantive guidelines and the organization of personnel and logistics. The headquarters was occupied by the Chief of Mission and an official of the OAS General Secretariat, and received the valuable support of the Director and staff of the Office of the General Secretariat in the Dominican Republic.

Bearing in mind the availability of funds, the members of the Mission were deployed in such a way as to cover the places where some political leaders thought difficulties might arise, on one hand, and on the other the provinces and municipalities most densely populated and therefore most important in terms of the number of offices to be filled. Accordingly, the Mission was organized to cover, in addition to the National District, four zones that encompassed the provinces listed in the accompanying table:

15 Fernando Arocena, Carolina Ayastuy, Moisés Benamor, Christopher Hernández-Roy, Judith Lobos, Senén Magariños, Santiago Murray, Rebecca Reichert, Jorge Tlatelpa, and Cristina Tomassoni. 16 Activities of the Electoral Observation Mission

Observation zones Total polling Observers per Total municipalities assigned No. of posts to be filled places zone for observation per zone

ZONE 1 2 National District 1 senator 44 deputies Santo Domingo (DN) 3,067 1 mayor 88 council members

ZONE 2 2 5 1 senator 3 deputies Barahona (Prov.) 201 5 mayors 27 council members

4 1 senator 2 deputies Barohuco (Prov.) 119 4 mayors 34 council members

4 1 senator 4 deputies Independencia (Prov.) 61 4 mayors 20 council members

2 1 senator 5 deputies Pedernales (Prov.) 24 2 mayors 10 council members

ZONE 3 2 1 1 senator 6 deputies Duarte (Prov.) 419 4 mayors 33 council members

2 1 senator 2 deputies Salcedo (Prov.) 162 3 mayors 15 council members

ZONE 4 1 6 1 senator 2 deputies Montecristi (Prov.) 139 6 mayors 30 council members

ZONE 5 3 1 senator 14 deputies Santiago (Prov.) 1,050 7 mayors 60 council members

1 senator 7 deputies La Vega (Prov.) 471 4 mayors 30 council members

1 senator 5 deputies 8 mayors Puerto Plata (Prov.) 400 44 council members

1 senator 4 deputies Espaillat (Prov.) 201 3 mayors 21 council members

1 senator Monseñor Nouel (Prov.) 208 3 deputies 3 mayors 18 council members Pre-election Phase

In the three days preceding the elections, the Chief of Mission held protocolary meetings with President Fernández and with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Eduardo Latorre.

To assess potential observation operations, the Chief of Mission paid a visit to the Central Election Board, where he was received by Juan Sully Bonelly, its Chairman, and by Alejandro Asmar Sánchez, Cirilo Collado Luna, Luis Mora Guzmán, and Rafael Vallejo Santelises, its other members. These meetings yielded information about the civic education campaigns promoted by the JCE, the distribution of identity cards, the appointment and training of polling officials, the distribution of the election materials, trial runs of result transmission mechanisms, and in general, the political parties' adherence to electoral rules.

The Chief of Mission also interviewed leaders of the main political parties, to gather information relevant to the observation work: the Secretary General of the PRD, Hatuey De Camps; the Secretary General of the PLD, Lidio Cadet; and the Chairman of the PRSC, Donald Reid Cabral. In addition, he called on Mrs. Peggy Cabral de Peña Gómez. In the course of these interviews, all the parties concerned agreed that the JCE enjoyed high credibility and they praised its administrative and regulatory conduct. However, the opposition parties claimed that the PLD had committed irregularities, mainly in connection with the use of government funds for campaigning and with the buying or illegal withholding of identity cards.

Mr. Murray also met with the National Council of Citizen Participation to hear its views on the progress of the election campaign, which in general coincided with those contained in Appendix 4.

He held frequent meetings with the local and international press and broadcast media, in order to publicize and reiterate the purpose of the OAS presence and to encourage observance of the electoral regulations.

For their part, the observers stationed in the interior met with the heads of the Municipal Election Boards, authorities and candidates of the various parties, and the media.

Election Day

Three main features characterized the May 16 elections across the country: they proceeded in perfect order (except for a few isolated outbreaks of violence), the electoral regulations were obeyed, and abstention was high–nearly 50% (a high proportion of women and young people did not vote).16

Details follow regarding the number of polling stations visited in each zone during the different stages of the election process: registration, voting, and counting.

First zone: 46 polling places in the National District.

16 The average age in the country is 21.9, which means that young people (aged 18 to 30) account for 35% of the electoral roll. 18 Activities of the Electoral Observation Mission

Second zone: 72 polling places in the municipalities of Barahona, Cabral, Enriquillo, Vicente Noble, and Paraíso (Barahona Province); Neiba, Tamayo, Villa Jaragua, and Galván (Barahuco Province); Pedernales and Oviedo (Pedernales Province); Duverge, la Descubierta, Jimaní, and Postrer Río (Independencia Province).

Third zone: 65 polling places in the municipality of San Francisco de Marcorís (Duarte Province) and 29 in the municipalities of Salcedo and Tenares (Salcedo Province).

Fourth zone: 69 polling places in the six municipalities of Montecristi Province.

Fifth zone: 56 polling places in the municipalities of Santiago, Tamboril, Pedro García, Jánico, San José de las Matas, and Licey al Medio (Santiago Province); Moca (Espaillat Province); La Vega and Jarabacoa (La Vega Province); and Bonao (Monseñor Nouel Province).

From the partial reports prepared by the observers, the following points emerge:

- The polling places opened and closed normally in all the places monitored.

- At all the polling stations the observers noted that ballot secrecy was respected, there was no campaign publicity, party delegates and Citizen Participation representatives were in evidence, and the electoral police kept orderly control.

- The rules in the Election Law for the timetable of registration and voting were applied more flexibly in some polling stations (Montecristi and San Francisco de Marcorís) than in the rest.

- Abstention was higher than the electoral authorities had anticipated at all the polling stations monitored.

- Isolated confrontations occurred in the municipalities of Bonao and La Vega.

- There were a large number of spoiled ballots, in most cases because they had been marked more than once, at all the polling stations monitored.

- Broadly speaking, the tally sheets with the election results were received in an organized fashion at the rate dictated by the double count for congressional and municipal offices.

As predicted, the JCE released the first partial results on the night of May 16, showing the PRD and the parties making up the Santo Domingo Pact to be the winners. According to unofficial projections published by the JCE in Bulletin No. 11, the PRD at that point had 24 senators, 85 deputies, and 96 mayors; trailing it in second place was the PLD, with 4 senators, 42 deputies, and 12 mayors. The PRSC had 2 senators, 22 deputies, and 6 mayors. Through their respective spokesmen, the PLD and PRSC immediately conceded, and the representatives of the PRD pledged their commitment to ensuring “authentic governability” through the Congress and municipalities.

At around midday on May 17, the Chief of Mission issued a press release announcing that, with the close of the previous day’s elections, the Dominican democratic system had reached new levels of consummation, transparency, and equity. He underscored the JCE’s standing as an independent electoral agency that deserved the respect and credibility accorded to it by the political parties and the general public. Referring to the recent amendment of the Election Law, which included quotas for women, he commended the efforts made to boost gender equity and equal opportunity as guiding principles crucial to bringing nearer the goal of equal political participation for women.17

For its part, Citizen Participation said that the elections had taken place with calm and transparency, despite a few problems it described as minor. It should be mentioned that at midnight on election day the institution had delivered sealed envelopes to the JCE and the OAS Chief of Mission containing the results of a quick count performed in the National District of Santo Domingo.18

Post-election phase

In the days following the elections, the Chief of Mission met with representatives of the JCE to monitor the vote tabulation and the implementation of the agency’s decisions on the votes observed.

The Chief of Mission also gave interviews to the media to publicize the part played by the OAS Observation Mission and to offer preliminary qualitative impressions from its observations of the election process.

Finally, he paid protocolary visits to the diplomatic representatives of the Canadian and U.S. governments in the Dominican Republic to reiterate the OAS General Secretariat’s appreciation for the financial contributions that had made the mission possible.

On May 27, 1998, the JCE issued Resolution 32/98, announcing the men and women elected to Congress.19 The results were as follows:

Parties PRD PLD PRSC No. senators 24 4 2 No. deputies 83 49 17

As of the date of this report, Municipal Election Boards had yet to announce the results for municipal offices. However, according to JCE Bulletin No. 12, which contained the returns from all the polling stations except for one in the National District, the counts for the main

17 The complete text of the press release appears as Appendix 5. 18 See Appendix 6. 19 See Appendix 7. 20 Activities of the Electoral Observation Mission

parties were as follows: PRD (Alliance), 1,055,702; PLD (Alliance), 649,288; PRSC (Alliance), 361,041.20

Conclusions

· The electorion of May 16 may be counted as a day of civic awareness that does honor to the Dominican people and Government.

· The work done by the JCE and the transparency with which it acted were factors of undisputed importance to the consolidation of the country’s democratic institutions. The agency enjoys high credibility in Dominican civil and political circles.

· The immediate concession by the political parties to the winners of the elections and the pledge of governability they extended show that the Dominican democratic system has progressed significantly toward consummation, tolerance, and equity.

· The action of non-partisan civic movements, particularly Citizen Participation, seems to be related not to a so-called crisis of representation but rather to the need for enhancing representative democracy with supplements to the traditional mechanisms of political participation.

· The rate of abstention in the May 16 elections doesnot appear to have any single cause and, in any event, needs to be examined and discussed by Dominican society.

20 See Appendix 8.

CHAPTER IV Appendices