JCE launches mobile ID renewal and youth civic workshops

The Dominican Republic's Central Electoral Board (JCE) has launched several initiatives to facilitate the renewal of national identity cards and promote civic engagement. To assist citizens in obtaining new identification documents, the JCE is conducting mobile operations in various locations, including Santo Domingo Norte, Santiago, La Vega, and Miches. These mobile units offer transportation services to ensure residents can renew their documents and return home with their new IDs. The JCE reports that over 4 million new identity cards have been issued, but notes that the old format will no longer be accepted starting April 1, 2027.

In addition to document renewal, the JCE has initiated a civic education program titled ‘Mi identidad y nuestra democracia’ (My identity and our democracy). This program, led by board member Hirayda Marcelle Fernández Guzmán, conducts workshops and election simulations in public and private schools, such as Colegio Santa Rosa de Lima in Puerto Plata. The project targets first-time voters to combat electoral abstention and prepare the younger generation for the 2028 elections by teaching them about democratic fundamentals and their constitutional rights.