At stake in this election:

• 32 seats in the Senate (Senado)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
• Head of Government: President Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
• Assembly: Dominican Republic has a bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 32 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 178 seats.

Description of electoral system:

• The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 4-year term.
• In the Senate (Senado) 32 members are elected in single-member constituencies to serve 4-year terms. In the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) 178 members are elected by proportional representation to serve 4-year terms.

Main parties in the electoral race:

• Coalition: Progressive Bloc / Bloque Progresista*
  • Leader: Leonel FERNANDEZ Reyna
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 22
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 1
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 96
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 41
• Party: Grand National Alliance / Gran Alianza Nacional (GANA)**
  • Leader: Ramon ALBURQUERQUE
  • Seats won in this Senate election: 10
  • Seats won in last Senate election: 31
  • Seats won in this Chamber of Deputies election: 82
  • Seats won in last Chamber of Deputies election: 109

* The Progressive Bloc is headed by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) and includes the Institutional Social Democratic Bloc (BIS), National Progressive Force (FNP), Dominican Workers Party (PTD), Alliance for Democracy (AD), and the Christian Democratic Union (UDC).
The seats won in the last election represent those won by the Dominican Liberation Party (PLD).
** The Grand National Alliance is headed by the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and includes the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC), the Quisqueyano Christian Democratic Party (PQDC), the Democratic Union (UD), the National Renaissance Party (PRN), the National Civic Veterans Party (PNVC), Dominican Social Alliance (ASD), Popular Democratic Party (PDP), and the National Unity Party (PUN).
The seats won in the last election represent those won by the Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) and the Social Christian Reformist Party (PRSC). The PRD obtained 29 seats in the Senate and 73 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, while the PRSC won 2 Senate seat and 36 seats in the lower house.

Last Legislative election:

• The last elections for both the Senate and the House of Representatives were held on May 16, 2002.

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 9,371,333 (2006)
• Registered Voters: 5,492,880 (February 2006 )

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 4,685,666 (2006)

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

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

·         Gender Quota: Yes

·         Female candidates in this election: Yes

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 35 (Chamber of Deputies); 1 (Senate) (following the 2006 elections)

·         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: 1,405,699 (est.)