In January the Dominican Republic radically changed its constitution. While the issue of completely outlawing abortion in any form dominated the discussion, a smaller change allowing Dominicans living abroad to be represented by eight members of the lower house of Congress went largely unnoticed.

Article 81 of the new constitution of the Dominican Republic would allow Dominican nationals living in the United States to hold elections here, and the winners of those elections would live here and vote on issues here.

In Northern Manhattan and the Bronx – which combined are home to the largest community of Dominicans outside of the small Caribbean island – the idea that Dominican Americans would have another layer of elections raises numerous questions and could disrupt the already fractious political world.

For instance: Can existing members of the City Council or the State Legislature hold offices representing both countries?

"The political scenario is more complicated than that," said Dr. Ramona Hernandez, director of the City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute.

It's more likely that new leaders from the community would step up to run for office in the D.R., and Hernandez feels that the more representation Dominicans have, the better.

"I think that we should welcome this if it's something people want," Hernandez said. "I have to see this with good eyes."

Hernandez said that during the constitutional process there were some that feared that the relatively wealthy Dominican Americans would overwhelm the locally elected officials.

"They already have an impact on the Dominican Republic," she said, through the money sent home to family.

"Three billion per year – that's a lot of money," she said.

Lilliam Perez, State Senator Eric Schneiderman's district office chief of staff and a Dominican citizen, has mixed feelings about the issue.

On one hand, issues like deportation would get more attention back home. On the other, it would sap energy from local elections.

"If we have another layer of political participation I think it will dilute participation in elections in the United States," in terms of both fundraising and voting, she said.

It raises a lot of questions, like how often the representatives will have to travel back to the D.R.

"Who's going to pay for all those expenses?" she asked.

She also questioned the Dominican-American representatives' ability to vote on island infrastructure issues.

"They don't impact families of Dominicans living abroad," she said.

The two top Northern Manhattan Dominican-American elected officials said they have no interest in running for a second office – even if they could.

"I'm personally putting all my energy into United States politics," said first-term City Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, who was echoed by his political ally, Assembly Member Adriano Espaillat – the first Dominican American elected to a slate level office in the United States.

"I have never had any interest in Dominican politics," Espaillat said, adding that he felt the Constitutional revision process was "sullied by the hand of special interests" and doesn't believe that the increasing number of U.S.-born Dominicans wants to participate in politics back home –even if they pay attention to it.

"Our growth is not determined anymore by immigration," he said. "Our future is here, not there."

The next election Dominican Americans could participate in would be in 2016 when the current congressional term expires.