Early results give incumbent Medina strong lead in Dominican election

Electoral workers count ballots after voting closed at a polling station at presidential election in Santo Domingo May 15, 2016. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas

SANTO DOMINGO (Reuters) - President Danilo Medina declared electoral victory in the Dominican Republic on Monday as results showed him ahead with a huge margin, but the win was marred by deaths and violence apparently exacerbated by the slow pace of the vote count.

Medina swayed voters with a record of a surging GDP growth and social projects that outweighed stubborn poverty, high crime and accusations of graft in the Caribbean's largest economy.