Presidential candidates cast their ballots in Dominican Republic election in which incumbent is poised to win

Record ID: 103546

  • Title: Presidential candidates cast their ballots in Dominican Republic election in which incumbent is poised to win
  • Date: 15th May 2016
  • Summary: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (MAY 15, 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE LUIS ABINADER VOTING ABINADER VOTING AS SUPPORTERS CHEER HIM ON (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LUIS ABINADER, PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, SAYING: "The country is voting in peace. We are very optimistic in the process and we have informed (election) leaders as you have realised of the technical problems that have arisen and other types of problems about which we have directly informed the president of the central group including about all the normal problems you have in this kind of situation. What is true is that the country is voting in peace, and I call for it to continue voting in peace, that people come out to vote, that all come out to vote. This is an all too important day, so all should come out, all the supporters of the PRM (Modern Revolutionary Party), all allies, but also all that have the desire to vote, because no matter who is your candidate, come out to exercise (your vote), but it's also an obligation, a patriotic obligation." GENERAL OF BABEQUE ELECTORAL STATION BALLOT BOX VARIOUS OF ROOM WITH PEOPLE VOTING MAN VOTING WIDE OF PEOPLE VOTING WOMAN VOTING CLOSE UP OF WOMAN PLACING BALLOT GENERAL OF MAN PLACING BALLOT IN BALLOT BOX COMPUTER SCREEN SHOWING BALLOT INFORMATION, PERSONAL IDENTITY VARIOUS OF MAYORAL CANDIDATE KARIM ABU-NABAA PLACING VOTE GENERAL OF POLLING STATION VARIOUS OF COLLECTION OF BALLOTS, ELECTORAL TABLE MAN VOTING
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2016 21:19
  • Keywords: Danilo Medina Luis Abinader first round election Santo Domingo
  • Location: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • City: SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
  • Country: Dominican Republic
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA0024HX4WUF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Dominican Republic President Danilo Medina was poised to win the first round of a presidential election on Sunday (May 15), with polls showing voters crediting him with economic growth and social projects, while less concerned about accusations of graft. Candidates for the presidency repeated calls for voters to come out and voted in this newly allowed reelection vote.
    Voters lined up outside polling stations in schools before they opened at 6 a.m. AST (1000 GMT) and by mid-morning 15 percent of eligible voters in the Caribbean's largest economy had cast their ballots.
    A Gallup-Hoy poll published on April 25 showed Medina winning 63 percent of the vote, enough to avoid a second-round runoff in June. His ratings have been climbing in recent months, at the expense of his nearest rival, businessman Luis Abinader.
    Speaking to reporters after his vote, he pushed for turnout.
    "What we are hoping for is that the Dominican people take advantage of the opportunity to vote in the time that remains. We are a little bit half way half way through half time, but I think there is enough time for people to vote. People should exercise their civic and civilian right and present themselves to vote for a candidate they want, but what's important is that they come out and vote," Medina said.
    Voting intentions barely reach 10 percent for the remaining six candidates combined, including the first two women running for the presidency in a Dominican election.
    Regardless, Abinader made a final ecumenical plea as he went to the polls.
    "The country is voting in peace. We are very optimistic in the process and we have informed (election) leaders as you have realised of the technical problems that have arisen and other types of problems about which we have directly informed the president of the central group including about all the normal problems you have in this kind of situation. What is true is that the country is voting in peace, and I call for it to continue voting in peace, that people come out to vote, that all come out to vote. This is an all too important day, so all should come out, all the supporters of the PRM (Modern Revolutionary Party), all allies, but also all that have the desire to vote, because no matter who is your candidate, come out to exercise (your vote), but it's also an obligation, a patriotic obligation," he said.
    A left-of-centre economist, Medina has had high popularity ratings during the latter part of his four-year term in the country of 10.4 million. Electoral rules were changed to allow him to run for a second consecutive term.
    Medina's Dominican Liberation Party has been continuously in power since 2004.
    Abinader promises to double down on social spending and reduce crime. The challenger has also focused on allegations of corruption related to a power plant awarded to Brazilian engineering conglomerate Grupo Odebrecht.
    Medina's campaign chief, Joao Santana, returned to Brazil in February to face charges Odebrecht had paid him funds siphoned from Brazil's state oil company Petrobras in offshore accounts to finance the 2014 election campaign of suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.
    Medina has yet to refer to the Petrobras scandal, but he did admit the Brazilian political strategist was his top adviser. Santana has called the allegations against him "baseless."
    With the fastest growing economy in Latin America in 2014 and 2015, the Dominican Republic is wealthier than Haiti, its poor neighbour on the island of Hispaniola.
    Medina has overseen the repatriation of tens of thousands of people with roots in Haiti. The policy is popular at home but condemned by human rights groups.
    Despite the strong economy, many Dominicans struggle to meet basic needs and poverty rates rose to 41 percent in the first year of Medina's term, according to the World Bank.
    New schools and health spending in recent years have won Medina support, and poverty has started to decline.
    Exit polls were due to be released on Sunday evening, but results are not expected until Monday.
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