SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) -- The Dominican
                   Republic opened its polling stations Saturday for voters to verify that they
                   are correctly registered, but more than a quarter of stations did not open as
                   scheduled.

                   Elections officials planned the drill Saturday and Sunday to root out
                   irregularities and ensure that voters would not encounter problems voting
                   in the May 16 presidential elections.

                   The Central Elections Board said that polling stations in 31 of 115 towns did
                   not have the staff to open Saturday, but were to open Sunday. Elections
                   arbitrator Jose Frank Alvarez Conde said some of the 1,500 volunteers did
                   not show up, leaving officials to recruit help at the last moment.

                   The Dominican Republic has a history of problematic elections, and former
                   President Joaquin Balaguer was forced to step down because of allegations
                   of fraud in the 1994 elections. International observers said the 1996
                   elections were fair.

                   Balaguer, at age 94, is again running for president in this year's elections.

                   Politicians have criticized the Central Elections Board for delays in issuing
                   identification cards for the 4.5 million voters who have registered. About
                   500,000 people are still waiting for cards.

                   Voters whose registrations did not appear or were not correct were given
                   forms to submit to the elections board to clear up problems.

                   "They've lost me. I don't appear on the register," said Virginia Silva de
                   Torres, a 30-year-old who checked her registration in Santo Domingo.
                   "They told me to go to the board headquarters where they'll give me a paper
                   to return in April."

                   Resident Emilio Jose Mejia Diaz said he appeared on the registry twice
                   under two different identification numbers.

                   The registration drill was being monitored by international observers led by
                   representatives of the Carter Center, the human rights group directed by
                   former U.S. President Jimmy Carter that will monitor elections.

                    Copyright 2000 The Associated Press.