The Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) will use the electronic voting system for the internal elections in which the new members of that party’s central committee will be elected.
This decision is set out in Article 10 of the “Regulation for the election of members of the Central Committee” of the political organization, which states that “for elections the electronic voting system will be used in each of the polling stations that are created, with the support of the Central Electoral College (JCE). ”.
A total of 940 PLD leaders aspire to occupy the 110 seats offered by the central committee at the national level and the 190 seats at the local level in each constituency.
The rules state that those who obtain the highest number of valid votes cast at national level will be considered elected, until the number of members to be elected is completed. The chairmen of the basic committee will have the right to vote for a maximum of 22 candidates.
Logistics
The same regulation stipulates that the installation of ballot papers, registration and counting of software on the voting equipment will take place between Wednesday 27 and Sunday 31 January 2021, while the training of polling station commissions will be from Thursday 28 to Sunday 31.
The transfer of the voting teams to the municipal electoral commissions will be from Monday, February 1 to Thursday, February 4, 2021.
It is also established that an electoral commission will function in each municipality, constituency or section, under the dependence and supervision of the organizing committee of the IX Ordinary Congress José Joaquín Bidó Medina, in charge of directing the electoral process of the demarcation to which it corresponds.
These commissions will consist of the liaison appointed by the Organizing Committee, which will act as coordinator; the chairman of the municipal or district committee; the organizational secretary and the secretary for electoral affairs of the committee of that demarcation, as well as a “young man” proposed by the municipal leadership, subject to the approval of the Organizing Committee of the IX Congress.
Paragraph 3 of Article 3 states that a “partner between the ages of 18 and 35 who respects gender equality, who is a member of the Municipal or District Directorate or of the section or chair of the Intermediate Committee, whose merits can be attested by other members of the Municipal or District or Sectional Commission ”.
The document states that in cases where a member of the committees is nominated, they must be replaced by other members of the appropriate management, subject to the approval of the Organizing Committee.
The committee of each polling station must be in its area at the latest at 7:00 am on the day set for the vote, in order to continue organizing the voting process which will start at 8:00 am and end at 3:00 am afternoon.
Candidates for members of the central committee at the local level will have the right to nominate up to two representatives per district; who will be able to observe and monitor the voting process at the tables and their demarcation sections; raise before the Mass Committee any claims it deems appropriate and remove a copy of the minutes of the vote at the end of the process.
Polling stations will not be allowed to operate in family homes or in areas related to candidates for the Central Committee.
How to vote?
At the time of presentation for the exercise of the right to vote, the voter must present his identity and electoral card. Once identified in the list of the table, he will be allowed access to the electronic voting system, for the selection of candidates at local level and candidates at national level.
After selecting the candidates, the electronic system will issue a receipt which must be submitted to the appropriate ballot box.
Trial
The elections will take place on Sunday, February 14, while the announcement of the winners will be the next day.
The electronic kit must be delivered to the liaison or the municipal president or the electoral district, under the supervision of the central electoral commission, which will submit them to the district electoral commission no later than 24 hours after the end of the voting process.
challenges
The LDP Regulation also sets a deadline for challenges from Monday, February 15 to Wednesday, February 17.
Article 26 states that if a candidate collects evidence that irregularities have been committed in the voting process which could have altered the voting results, he may lodge an appeal or a re-examination within two days of the results of the organizing committee, at the level in question, must present in writing to the committee the reasons and the documentation supporting their complaint.
After that, a hearing will be established with the municipal electoral commission and the polling station commissions in which the alleged irregularities took place and within a maximum of three days, the decision taken within a maximum of three days will be communicated in written.
Members of the organizing committee of the congress who are running as candidates for the central committee will have to refrain from participating in discussions and decisions related to the electoral process.