Sunday was the Primary elections for the PRD (Dominican Revolutionary Party). I had the privilege to travel around with a very politically motivated friend and observe the process.
There were many differences from the form in which the ballot was to the not so discreet corrupution. The ballots had over a hundred names and each persons picture. Since there is such a high iliteracy rate pictures are a better way of insuring that the person knows who they are voting for.
The voting booths consisted of wooden bed frames up against a wall so others couldn't see who were voting for or large pieces of cardboard. As the day progressed and the heat people became very anxious and frustrated waiting long hours in the lines. This started to cause problems. On top of their frustations it seems Dominicans in general use anything exciting going on as an excuse to drink excessibly. So, the voting sites because party sites. People just hanging around outside and drinking. The alcohol combined with political tension and heat just opened doors for conflict. I was told that since it's the primaries the whole day was much more lax than when they have the elections. I only learned of a few small fights throughout the day.
I was interested in the idea of why all of the parties don't have their primaries on the same day. I was told it's because fights and possibly riots would occur between party memebers. I appreciate the excitement that people have toward their party and support for politics, if only more people were this animated in the US to vote. A friend discussed with me the strong feeling and tensions that people hold during election time and I was made aware that a big difference between the US and Dominican elections is the effect it has on a family. Many people I talked to throughout the day said they would vote for the person that puts food on their table for their children. The apathy that many people haev in the US towards politics I believe comes from a lack of necessity. Here many people have no other hope than to turn to the few people in the community with money and power.
As I walked around with my friend outside the voting polls she passed little pieces of paper with the numbers of different people that they should vote for. At another site there were people standing right by the line of people waiting to vote handing out papers with faces and numbers of the people they should vote for. I then learned that when the party counts the votes at the end of the day they fill in any blank spots with their candidate. All I could do was smile at the broken process.
There were many differences from the form in which the ballot was to the not so discreet corrupution. The ballots had over a hundred names and each persons picture. Since there is such a high iliteracy rate pictures are a better way of insuring that the person knows who they are voting for.
The voting booths consisted of wooden bed frames up against a wall so others couldn't see who were voting for or large pieces of cardboard. As the day progressed and the heat people became very anxious and frustrated waiting long hours in the lines. This started to cause problems. On top of their frustations it seems Dominicans in general use anything exciting going on as an excuse to drink excessibly. So, the voting sites because party sites. People just hanging around outside and drinking. The alcohol combined with political tension and heat just opened doors for conflict. I was told that since it's the primaries the whole day was much more lax than when they have the elections. I only learned of a few small fights throughout the day.
I was interested in the idea of why all of the parties don't have their primaries on the same day. I was told it's because fights and possibly riots would occur between party memebers. I appreciate the excitement that people have toward their party and support for politics, if only more people were this animated in the US to vote. A friend discussed with me the strong feeling and tensions that people hold during election time and I was made aware that a big difference between the US and Dominican elections is the effect it has on a family. Many people I talked to throughout the day said they would vote for the person that puts food on their table for their children. The apathy that many people haev in the US towards politics I believe comes from a lack of necessity. Here many people have no other hope than to turn to the few people in the community with money and power.
As I walked around with my friend outside the voting polls she passed little pieces of paper with the numbers of different people that they should vote for. At another site there were people standing right by the line of people waiting to vote handing out papers with faces and numbers of the people they should vote for. I then learned that when the party counts the votes at the end of the day they fill in any blank spots with their candidate. All I could do was smile at the broken process.
Voting booth Party Vice President Ballot
One of the biggest issues that I struggle with during my time here is how a society goes about changing when so much is broken. Here is a society that is progressing slowly, but still broken in many levels, micro and macro; Steming from dysfunctional families, problems of abuse and alcohol, to all problems that accompany poverty to the a corrupt government and judicial system. It becomes overwhelming the layers of problems that need to be attacked on an individual level but at the same time in a social, political level.
These are some of the biggest challenges that Caminante faces in their work with children. For example, the street boys. You can take them out of the streets and put them back in their homes but this doesn't change the situation of physical, mental, sexual abuse that occur. You can take them to a home for children, but many are set up to work with the kids and not the entire family. So, they just return to the streets after spending months in the home and then being sent back to their home and recognizing that the situation hasn't changed. It's a slow frustrating process. But that's where I'm forced to look at the small advances and changes that are made and turn to my faith and recognize that all that is being done is part of a process and the only way to continue changing a society.
