Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PORTAUPRINCE315
2006-02-14 18:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Port Au Prince
Cable title:
HAITI ELECTIONS: WHY UNDERVOTES COUNT, WHY THE NDI
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UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000315
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: WHY UNDERVOTES COUNT, WHY THE NDI
QUICK COUNT IS WRONG
UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000315
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: WHY UNDERVOTES COUNT, WHY THE NDI
QUICK COUNT IS WRONG
1. Article 185 of the Haitian electoral law, created by
Presidential decree on February 11, 2005 in consultation with
the international community, stipulates that any ballot that
is either properly filled out or left blank must be counted
as a vote once placed in a ballot box. This stipulation
recognizes the right of a voter to vote for "none of the
above." In addition, "any ballot on which the Voting Bureau
cannot recognize the intention or political will of the voter
shall be declared null."
2. As such, the over 85,000 ballots placed in ballot boxes
with no vote for President must be counted as part of the
tally. Blank votes made up approximately 4.67 percent of the
national vote. If these votes were discounted, front-runner
Rene Preval would have 51.15 percent of the national vote and
would win the first round. While only 2.79 percent of
ballots in the West department were counted as "blank",
totals were higher in the provinces, ranging from 4.27
percent in the Northwest to 9.10 percent in the Central
Plateau. A likely or at least plausible explanation for this
is that voters in the provinces tend to be less educated than
those in Port-au-Prince.
NDI Quick Count Did Not Count Under-votes
--------------
3. NDI admitted on February 14 that their quick count
conducted on February 7 did not include under-votes. As
such, their results predicted a winning margin for Preval of
54 percent. At a press conference on February 14, Preval
cited the discrepancy between the published CEP result of 49
percent and the NDI quick count as evidence of what he termed
the "massive fraud" which has deprived him of a first round
victory.
Role of the Blank Ballot
--------------
4. NOTE: The disputed legislative elections in 2000 hinged
upon the question of whether under-votes should have been
counted as part of the total vote count. Fanmi Lavalas and
the Aristide government claimed they should not, while the
political opposition and international observers insisted
that they should, leading to the contestation of several
Senate seats. This dispute set in motion the eventual fall
of the Aristide government. END NOTE.
CARNEY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR
DRL
S/CRS
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA)
TREASURY FOR JEFFREY LEVINE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: WHY UNDERVOTES COUNT, WHY THE NDI
QUICK COUNT IS WRONG
1. Article 185 of the Haitian electoral law, created by
Presidential decree on February 11, 2005 in consultation with
the international community, stipulates that any ballot that
is either properly filled out or left blank must be counted
as a vote once placed in a ballot box. This stipulation
recognizes the right of a voter to vote for "none of the
above." In addition, "any ballot on which the Voting Bureau
cannot recognize the intention or political will of the voter
shall be declared null."
2. As such, the over 85,000 ballots placed in ballot boxes
with no vote for President must be counted as part of the
tally. Blank votes made up approximately 4.67 percent of the
national vote. If these votes were discounted, front-runner
Rene Preval would have 51.15 percent of the national vote and
would win the first round. While only 2.79 percent of
ballots in the West department were counted as "blank",
totals were higher in the provinces, ranging from 4.27
percent in the Northwest to 9.10 percent in the Central
Plateau. A likely or at least plausible explanation for this
is that voters in the provinces tend to be less educated than
those in Port-au-Prince.
NDI Quick Count Did Not Count Under-votes
--------------
3. NDI admitted on February 14 that their quick count
conducted on February 7 did not include under-votes. As
such, their results predicted a winning margin for Preval of
54 percent. At a press conference on February 14, Preval
cited the discrepancy between the published CEP result of 49
percent and the NDI quick count as evidence of what he termed
the "massive fraud" which has deprived him of a first round
victory.
Role of the Blank Ballot
--------------
4. NOTE: The disputed legislative elections in 2000 hinged
upon the question of whether under-votes should have been
counted as part of the total vote count. Fanmi Lavalas and
the Aristide government claimed they should not, while the
political opposition and international observers insisted
that they should, leading to the contestation of several
Senate seats. This dispute set in motion the eventual fall
of the Aristide government. END NOTE.
CARNEY