Santo Domingo , Dominican Republic ( CNN ) -- Preliminary results for Sunday 's presidential election in the Dominican Republic gave former lawmaker Danilo Medina an early lead . Polls closed at 6 p.m . ET in the race , which shaped up as a two-man contest between political veterans . Medina and former Dominican Republic President Hipolito Mejia were in a close race heading into election day . Four other candidates , between them , did n't surpass 5 % in the polls . With close to half of the ballots counted Sunday night , Medina led with more than 51 % of the vote , versus Mejia 's 47 % . A candidate must garner 50 % of the vote plus 1 to avoid a second round of voting . The election is a rematch of the 2000 presidential contest , where Mejia defeated Medina . Since the end of Mejia 's term in 2004 , the presidency has been held by Leonel Fernandez , of the centrist Dominican Liberation Party , the same party that Medina belongs to . Mejia represents the left-leaning Dominican Revolutionary Party . Some see the candidates as similar in some respects , but passions nonetheless on both sides are strong . `` The truth is that in the Dominican Republic , I would say the national pastime is not baseball . The national sport is politics , '' said Mauricio De Vegoechea , a political analyst . The boisterous campaigns stretched from the island to New York , where there is a large population of Dominicans . Ahead of Sunday 's vote , some 200 foreign electoral observers were in the country , and 60,000 police and troops were deployed for security . `` The big difference , obviously , is that one of these candidates was already president and showed us who he was , and the other candidate has certainly been close to the government , but has never held the executive position and is known as a very qualified official , '' said Javier Cabreja , president of the civic group Citizens ' Participation . Mejia , 71 , the former president , has a background in agriculture . He served a previous administration as minister of agriculture , and became involved in politics at an early age . Medina , 60 , was elected to four-year terms as a lawmaker in 1986 , 1990 and 1994 . He also served as president of the country 's House of Representatives . He twice served as secretary of state . There are more than 6 million registered voters in the country . Dominicans living abroad were allowed to cast their votes as well , so much attention was paid by the candidates to the Dominican population in the United States , and particularly in New York . About 5 % of registered voters live outside the island . `` A lot of my family lives in Santo Domingo , that 's our homeland , and we have to support our brothers who are there , working hard , '' one voter in New York said . According to the International Monetary Fund , the Dominican Republic is expected to grow between 3.5 % and 4 % this year . Campaign issues have included discussions whether that growth is trickling down to the average citizen . `` I want there to be in my country social security , better education and better medical services , '' said another New York Dominican voter , Johnny Hinojosa . CNN 's Camilo Egana and Maria Santana contributed to this report .
NEW : Preliminary results gave former President Danilo Medina an early lead . The election is a rematch of the 2012 elections . Dominican populations abroad play an important role in voting . The winner will need to garner 50 % of the vote plus 1 .