Ruling party vies to boost majorities in national vote

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Dominicans faced a dizzying array of choices Sunday in one of the most complex ballots in recent history, with eight candidates for president, all 222 members of Congress up for re-election and thousands of people vying for local offices around the country.

For many voters, the ballot amounted to a referendum on whether to let President Danilo Medina’s Democratic Liberation Party, or PLD, extend its political dominance after winning four of the last five presidential elections and controlling both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies for a decade.

Polls forecast that Medina, 64, could take more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a runoff against his nearest competitor, businessman Luis Abinader.

Medina’s government has built about 2,500 schools, lengthened the school day to provide more classes, and promoted literacy and vocational training for adults.

On the campaign trail he has vowed to spend more on a system of social programs that provide payments to nearly 1 million poor families.