Dominican Republic presidential election, 2012 |This article is
part of the series: Politics and government of the Dominican
Republic Presidential elections were held in the Dominican
Republic on 20 May 2012. 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. 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. 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. 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. This was the first election t