Dominican Republic: President, 15 May 2016

At stake in this election:

The office of the President of the Dominican Republic

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since 16 August 2012)
• Head of Government: President Danilo MEDINA Sanchez (since August 2012)
• Assembly: Dominican Republic has a bicameral Congreso Nacional (National Congress) consisting of the Senado (Senate) with 32 seats and the Camara de Diputados (Chamber of Deputies) with 183 seats. Members of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies serve for 4-year terms.

Description of electoral system:

• The President of the Dominican Republic is directly elected by absolute majority vote in 2 rounds if needed, for a 4-year term, with eligibility for a second term.

Last Election:

• Presidential elections in the Dominican Republic were last held on 20 May 2012. Danilo MEDINA Sanchez was elected president with 51.21% of the vote, defeating Rafael Hipolito MEJIA Dominguez, who finished with 46.95%.

Main candidates in the election:

• Danilo MEDINA Sánchez
  • Party: Dominican Liberation Party (PLD)/Partido de la Liberación Dominicana
• Luis Rodolfo ABINADER Corona
  • Party: Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM)/Partido Revolucionario Moderno
• Guillermo MORENO García
  • Party: Country Alliance/Alianza País
• Pelegrín Horacio CASTILLO Semán
  • Party: National Progressive Force/Fuerza Nacional Progresista
• Minerva Josefina Tavárez MIRABAL
  • Party: Democratic Option / Opción Democrática
• Flor Soraya AQUINO  Campos
  • Party: National Unity Party (PUN)/Partido Unidad Nacional
• Elias Wessin CHÁVEZ
  • Party: Quisqueyano Christian Democratic Party (PQDC)/Partido Quisqueyano Demócrata Cristiano
• Juan Alberto COHEN Sander
  • Party: National Party of Citizen Volunteers / Partido Nacional Voluntad Ciudadana (PNVC)

Population and number of registered voters:

·         Population: 10,478,756 (July 2015 est.)

·         Registered Voters: 6,502,968 (2012)

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 5,173,950 (July 2015 est.)

·         Is Dominican Republic a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Dominican Republic ratified CEDAW: Yes (2 September 1982)

·         Gender Quota: Yes[1]

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 41 (19.07%)[2]

·         Human Development Index Position: 101 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: Very Low (2014)

Disability Data:

·         Is Dominican Republic a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Dominican Republic ratified CRPD: Yes (18 August 2009)

·         Population with a disability: 1,571,813