Election time in Dominican Republic

As a foreigner observing from a distance with no political ties or endorsements. It's election time in Dominican Republic, and I'm here to witness.

Politics can be a divisive topic for some people who take their politics very seriously. Willing to fight and even kill a stranger over favoring different political views. You have those types and then you have those who like to keep their political interest to themselves and not make it a topic of conversation. Oh yeah, not just the USA, this also happens in Dominican Republic. My way of finding out that there was an election going on was through commercial ads popping up on my YouTube. Nobody told me that electoral campaigns were starting to begin, or already have. Even after seeing the political ads on YouTube, it didn't really click. I didn't pay it much mind. By the way if you're ever tired of politics in your country and want to get away from the topic, move to another country and those discussions do not exist lol. I was out in the park one day and I noticed a large groups of people with signs walking towards the city hall. I thought they were going to protest. Protest can get out of hand in Latin America, but this seems to be peaceful. So, I decided to follow and see what it was all about. When I got to where they were settling, the crowd was bigger than I anticipated. At this point, I hadn't caught on yet that this was not a protest, instead it was a political rally. Shortly after when they fully set up, men and women started talking and the crowd was cheering after everything they said. As I looked at their signs and noticed that a lot of the people were wearing a similar color, then later to realize that this was indeed a political rally. The people were calm and relaxed, friendly in typical Dominican fashion. I just sat around for a short time after, listening and then I made my way.  

Dominican voting

Weeks later the buzz is in the air about the upcoming elections happening soon and the Presidential election for the country. The little information I heard of how it works is there are four major political parties here in Dominican Republic. All four political parties are represented by color (white/blue, green, purple, and red. There's between 25 -30 different political parties, and every so often a new political group is started. I even heard of a small fee being offered, to give to those that aren't so interested in voting, but of course I didn't see it lol. Votes are taken at schools, care centers, ID card must be presented to vote. The location where a person must vote is assigned to them from the back of their ID card. Voting polls are open for one day only, from 7 am to 5pm. Up until this point, it looks as if nobody is so passionate about politics. Then a video surfaces about two men clashing in some country area, with machetes being drawn. Who knows, maybe an isolated situation or maybe there are people passionate about politics, it would depend on the person. A few weeks before the Presidential election I started noticing booths being set up, and representatives walking up asking pedestrians who they were voting for? (and who they should). Handing out plan-flits and giving their insights for a better Dominican Republic.

party for all to enjoy

One week before Election Day and now it's clear to see the change. The streets are filled with powerful people of the country and supporters. There's a term called “caravan” and it’s basically the supporters of the candidate, sometimes the candidate or a representative will be there. I randomly met and shook hands with a Senator while I was grabbing water at the colmado (corner store). The political parties with the money seem to be able to reach out to most people, while the others won’t be able to have the same reach. So, at this point the two political parties that seem to be leading in polls are the same ones that are throwing live band shows for the people in my location. Not a bad idea, to persuade voters to show up and vote on election day. Dominicans love to dance and have a good time. Free concert for everyone to enjoy live performances from popular local artists. People of all ages, parents brought their kids and there were elders there also. There were no fights or problems at all, everybody came out to enjoy themselves.  

It's Sunday 8pm, May 20th, 2024, and the results are in. The Dominican Republic presidential election is complete, and the people have spoken. The majority of votes have re-elected President Luis Abinader to another 4 year term. How'd I receive the news? by seeing a wave of supporters driving by cheering, honking their car horns in the streets. I got to be honest, as neutral as I was throughout this process. I had a feeling this President would be re-elected. I don't know, but from my experience in quite a few Latin American countries, the people always call out their sitting President as corrupted. On the other hand, what I’ve heard about Luis Abinader has been quite the opposite. I don't ask, but whenever he has been mentioned the people say that he has eliminated corruption. He's supposedly from a wealthy family, and he’s a family man himself. A president with a true business sense, focused on continuing the growth of the economy. I don't know how the whole country reacted, but the supporters here decided to throw a celebration with music playing all night, and no alcohol. On this day it felt as if it was a holiday with every business being closed. It was quiet all day until cars full of supporters came down the street, cheering and celebrating the victory of their candidates. My first time present for the election time in Dominican Republic, and I must say that whether you are into politics or not, interested in the election or not, there was something for everyone. Everyone I encountered was pleasant and may have had different views from each other, but they kept it cordial and respectful. The parties, music, and socializing are why people would even travel from one end of the town to another and have an enjoyable time of it. Overall, I get the sense that the Dominican people really care about each other and the betterment of the country, that they can put aside political differences for the one common goal of bettering the Dominican Republic.