LOW REGISTRATION TURNOUT FOR IRAQI OCV PROGRAM

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000388

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2015
TAGS: IZ KDEM PREL TC
SUBJECT: LOW REGISTRATION TURNOUT FOR IRAQI OCV PROGRAM

REF: A) ABU DHABI 305 B) ABU DHABI 35 C) 04 ABU DHABI

4714


1. (C) Summary: While participant turnout significantly
improved after the first disappointing day of Iraqi
out-of-county voting (OCV) registration (ref. A),IOM
officials are still questioning why so few UAE-based Iraqis
are taking the opportunity to vote in the January 28-30
elections. Registration dates were extended to January 25,
and polls extended their hours to remain open from 8 am to 7
pm, to lure more voters. While the extension did boost the
final numbers, in the end just 12,581 Iraqi citizens
registered to vote ) 9,520 in Dubai and 3,061 in Abu Dhabi.
Those involved in the election process agree that the primary
reason for the low turnout is voter apathy, followed by
security concerns by both voters and candidates, and the
logistical and financial hardship incurred by voters who have
to travel to the polling centers twice to register and vote.
End summary.

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REGISTRATION NUMBERS FAR BELOW IOM EXPECTATIONS
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2. (C) Michael Burke, Head of the UAE,s IOM OCV program,
told Poloff that logistically the registration process was
smooth and the support received from the UAEG was
outstanding. However, he said that the polling centers
&could use some more Iraqis.8 His initial registration
goals were 30,000 for Dubai and 15,000 for Abu Dhabi, out of
an estimated 60,000-100,000 Iraqi residents in the Gulf.
Burke said the low turnout was due primarily to voter apathy.
Most eligible voters didn't know the candidates and what the
party platforms were, and they did not feel strongly for the
small number of candidates for whom they did have some
information. He said other Iraqis told him that they would
stay away from the polls until the war was over and
&occupation forces8 were out of Iraq. Burke also listed
the &gap period8 between the registration and voting dates
as financially and logistically prohibitive for voters
traveling from outside the UAE. He believed the polls could
have drawn 5,000 or more voters if same-day registration and
voting was offered.

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IRAQI POLITICAL ACTIVISTS NOT SURPRISED BY LOW NUMBERS
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3. (C) The president of the Iraqi Businessmen's Council,
Talib Khan, said that turnout was within the expatriate
community's expectations. He estimated that approximately
35,000 UAE-based Iraqis were eligible to vote, and his group
predicted that between 12,000-15,000 would register to vote.
He opined that there would have been a much higher turnout if
eligible voters would have been able to register and vote
during one visit to the polling center. Khan said that most
people could not afford to go to the center twice, either due
to travel expenses or the time required away from their jobs.
For example, he said that the Iraqi Ambassador to Bahrain
would not vote because it would be too expensive to bring his
family down to the UAE twice to register and vote, and it
would be equally prohibitive to bridge the time gap by
staying here in a hotel. If that was the case with an
ambassador, Khan explained, imagine how difficult it would be
for truck drivers or other laborers working in the Gulf to
come to Dubai or Abu Dhabi twice to register and vote.


4. (C) Khan praised UAEG-provided security at the polling
centers, and said that his compatriots were not concerned for
their physical safety at the centers. However, he said that
some were concerned that their names would end up on lists
that might fall into the hands of those opposed to the
elections. More importantly, because most parties were not
disclosing the names of their candidates due to security
concerns, potential voters did not know for whom they were
voting. There was also little information available on the
platforms of most of the 111 parties listed on the ticket,
leading to further voter confusion. Khan said that this lack
of information on political parties and candidates led to
disinterest in participating in the voting process for many
of his compatriots.

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MEDIA BLAMES FEAR AND APATHY FOR KEEPING VOTERS AWAY
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5. (U) Local newspapers interviewed poll workers and eligible
voters who chose to stay away from the polls, to try to
determine why voter turnout was so low. The reports named
apathy as the primary reason why people weren't going to the
polls, while others cited fear, a lack of adequate
information about the candidates and party platforms, and
little confidence in the polling process. IOM spokesperson
Nicola Baldwin told a Gulf News reporter that most UAE-based
Iraqi citizens were likely not boycotting the ballot.
Rather, many long-term UAE residents simply did not care to
vote. Other potential voters harbored fears of
repercussions, despite assurances that the process was
confidential and names would not be used for any other

SIPDIS
purposes. Some cited little confidence in the legitimacy of
the process, stating that &occupation forces8 would install
candidates that suited them. Some said that they would not
participate in elections so long as there is no security and
stability in Iraq, and while &occupation forces8 remained
on Iraqi soil.


6. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
SISON