2012 Dominican Republic presidential election

2012 Dominican Republic presidential election

← 2008 20 May 2012 (2012-05-20) 2016 →
Turnout70.23%
 
Nominee Danilo Medina Hipólito Mejía
Party PLD PRD
Running mate Margarita Cedeño Luis Abinader
Popular vote 2,323,150 2,129,997
Percentage 51.21% 46.95%

Results by province

President before election

Leonel Fernández
PLD

President-elect

Danilo Medina
PLD

Presidential elections were held in the Dominican Republic on 20 May 2012.[1] They were the fifth quadrennial elections for the presidency and vice-presidency since 1998, when a change in the electoral law separated the presidential from the congressional and municipal elections.[2]

As specified in the new constitution ratified in January 2010, the presidential elections of 2012 coincided with the election of Overseas Deputies in Dominican expatriate communities.[3] Since 1974, elections in the Dominican Republic took place on 16 May every four years. Nevertheless, the constitutional reform of 2009 stipulated in article 209 that the elections would be held on 20 May 2012 to avoid their falling on a work day.[1] Candidates for the presidency competed for the highest number of votes, with the leader needing more than 50% of valid ballots to avoid a second round.[4]

Danilo Medina of the ruling Dominican Liberation Party was elected president with a majority of votes in the first ballot.

This was the first election to involve participation by Dominican citizens abroad. In addition to voting for the president and vice-president, Dominican expatriates participated in by-elections for seven new seats (within three overseas constituencies) in the Chamber of Deputies.[5]

  1. ^ a b "¿Por qué las elecciones serán el 20 de mayo en el 2012?". 19 August 2011. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. ^ "ANTE PROYECTO DE LEY". Senado Dominicano. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  3. ^ "Dominicanos en el exterior: de la participación a la representatividad". Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Arrecia lucha por los votos". 16 January 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Dominicans can now vote abroad". Dominican Today. 11 February 2011. Archived from the original on 24 February 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2012.

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