SANTO DOMINGO. The Dominican Revolutionary Party (PRD) asked the 4,515 hopeful candidates registered for next year's elections to submit to drug tests and to present certifications that they have no judicial issues pending regarding drugs or drug trafficking.

During the sessions of registration for the political candidates this weekend, said to have been satisfactorily concluded, the party collected contributions from these pre-candidates totaling RD$48,858,000.

The report at the end of the process was presented during a press conference offered yesterday by Manuel Esquea Guerrero and other members of the Organizing Commission of the XXVIII National Extraordinary Convention.

"We have been very emphatic in the requirements and we are being very demanding because the whole society is asking that the parties be demanding", commented the PRD leader.

Other requisites for registration as pre-candidates were, besides belonging to the PRD for a certain amount of time, the presentation of a certification of backing by a social entity and economic contributions that varied with the position being sought and the city in which the candidate was going to run for office. Senators were asked for RD$75,000 and candidates for deputations were asked for RD$50,000.

Esquea Guerrero explained that today members of the commission would meet with PRD president Miguel Vargas Maldonado in order to determine what polling company would be selected in order to determine the levels of preference among the aspiring candidates for senators and mayors in order to "disqualify" those that do not have at least a 20% approval rating.

"The (candidates for) senators and mayors that reach 20% will then be recognized as pre-candidates and will go to the convention. Neither the candidates for deputy or for city council membership are required to provide polling evidence", said Esquea Guerrero. Of the total number is registrations, there are 26 who are hoping to become senators, 323 want to be deputies, 252 are mayoral hopefuls, 2,705 are seeking seats at the municipal councils and 1,209 for membership in municipal boards. There are 1,353 positions available, and 4,515 persons registered, giving a 3:1 ratio of candidates to posts.

Esquea Guerrero explained that next week they would report on the date for the registration of candidates for positions in the Municipal Districts and their members.

He said that there were no registrations accepted in those areas where the candidacies were reserved. The Political Commission of the PRD reserved 30% of the slots for the PRD to name the candidates and 15% of the posts for political allies.

Esquea Guerrero thanked the candidates for their support of the process and especially the help offered by the Central Electoral Board that oversaw the whole process.

De Diario Libre