Dominican Republic presidential election, 2008

Dominican Republic presidential election, 2008

May 16, 2008

Nominee Leonel Fernández Miguel Vargas Amable Aristy Castro Party PLD PRD PRSC Electoral vote 2,199,734 1,654,066 187,645 Percentage 53.83% 40.48% 4.59%   Nominee Eduardo Estrella Party PRSD Electoral vote 19,309 Percentage 0.47%

President before election Leonel Fernández PLD Elected President Leonel Fernández PLD

A presidential election was held in the Dominican Republic on 16 May 2008.

A poll from late October 2007 gave the incumbent Leonel Fernández of the centre-right Dominican Liberation Party 42%, construction tycoon Miguel Vargas Maldonado of the centre-left Dominican Revolutionary Party 30% and Amable Aristy Castro of the populist Social Christian Reformist Party 17%. ^[1]

A poll from mid-November 2007 saw Fernández at 40.1%, Vargas Maldonado at 30.5%, Aristy Castro at 17.2%, Eduardo Estrella of the Fourth Way at 1.5% and Pedro Candelier of the Popular Alliance Party at 1.1%.^[2]

The latest polls gave the incumbent Fernández 54% of the votes, Vargas 36% and Aristy 9% as of late April 2008.^[3]

On 17 May, preliminary results from the Central Electoral Commission, based on 91% of precincts, showed that Fernández was reelected with 54% of the vote, while Vargas had 40% and Aristy 5%. Fernández declared victory, while Vargas conceded defeat; the Organization of American States congratulated Fernández.^[4]

The result ended in a victory for the Dominican Liberation Party and its candidate, Dr. Leonel Fernández.

 Summary of the 16 May 2008 Dominican Republic presidential election results

Candidates – Parties	Votes	%
Leonel Fernández – Dominican Liberation Party and allies (Partido de la Liberación Dominicana y aliados)	2,199,734	53.83
Miguel Vargas – Dominican Revolutionary Party and allies (Partido Revolucionario Dominicano y aliados)	1,654,066	40.48
Amable Aristy Castro – Social Christian Reformist Party (Partido Reformista Social Cristiano)	187,645	4.59
Eduardo Estrella – Revolutionary Social Democratic Party and allies (Partido Revolucionario Social Demócrata y aliados)	19,309	0.47
Guillermo Moreno – Movement for Independence, Unity and Change (Movimiento Independencia, Unidad y Cambio)	18,136	0.44
Pedro de Jesús Candelier – Popular Alliance Party (Partido Alianza Popular)	6,118	0.15
Trajano Santana – Independent Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Independiente)	1,533	0.04
Total (turnout 70.67 %)	4,086,541	100.00%
Source: Junta Central Electoral

References

1. "Fernández Could Win Again in Dominican Republic", Angus Reid Global Monitor, November 20, 2007.
2. "Fernández Stays Ahead of Challengers in DR", Angus Reid Global Monitor, December 9, 2007.
3. "Fernández is Frontrunner in Dominican Ballot", Angus Reid Global Monitor, May 14, 2008.
4. "Dominican Republic president declares re-election victory with 54 percent of vote", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 17 May 2008.