HAITI ELECTION NEWS ROUND-UP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 000543

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO EAID HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTION NEWS ROUND-UP

REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 476

Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson. Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) Summary: The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) is
completing review of claims arising from the February 7
General Election and should finalize candidate lists for
second round Senate and Chamber of Deputy candidates by March

20. According to CEP Director General Jacques Bernard, at
least five districts will require new first round elections
due to voided results from the February 7 contest. The CEP
is studying problems from the first round in order to run
smoother elections in April. They are paying particular
attention to improving operations at voting centers.
National Identity Card(CIN)/Voter Registration Card
distribution is at 91 percent with a requested
correction/change rate of only 0.3 percent. Additional
opportunities for correction and/or changes to the CINs will
be possible prior to the local and municipal elections
announced by the CEP for June 18. The official electoral
calendar, including the inauguration date of President-elect
Preval, is still pending publication through a Presidential
decree. End Summary.

Electoral Disputes
--------------


2. (SBU) CEP Director General Jacques Bernard told the
donors group March 14 that the review of electoral disputes
at the national level should be completed by March 16. Of
the 133 claims filed nationwide, 43 cases rose to the
national level for decision by the National Bureau for
Electoral Disputes (BCEN). Initial reports are that the
results from five districts will be declared void and the
election for Chamber of Deputies, and possibly the Senate,
will be re-run in those districts. Presidential candidates
will not be included as the CEP determined that the results
would not effect the outcome of that race as it currently
stands. Bernard identified the five districts
(circonscriptions) in question as La Chappelle (Artibonite
Department),Gros Morne (Artibonite Department),Grand Saline
(Artibonite Department),Bombardopolis/Baie de Henne (North
West Department),and Pestel/Beaumont (Grand Anse Department).


3. (SBU) The reasons for re-running the election in these
districts vary but include burnt polling places with
destroyed ballots, one case of voter/candidate intimidation
that precluded other members of the political party from
attempting to vote, and one instance of a ballot misprint
with the wrong photo printed with the name of the candidate.
The CEP will hold new elections for all Deputy candidates in
the voided districts concurrently with the second round
run-off scheduled for April 21. A second round for those
disputed districts will then be held as a special election,
possibly in conjunction with the local and municipal
elections.


4. (C) Pierre Richard Duchemin, the CEP Counselor
responsible for managing the dispute process, told poloff
that he and others members of the BCEN established a standard
operating procedure to evaluate claims thereby enhancing
transparency and facilitating review of its decisions.
Duchemin and the BCEN team initiated daily telephone contact
with each Departmental Elections Bureau (BED) to manage the
dispute process. The majority of claims were resolved at the
BED-level. (Comment: This integration of the BEDs into the
electoral process is a step toward correcting a recognized
weakness of the electoral organization. The BEDs should play
an important, managerial role but have been marginalized to
the detriment of establishing and strengthening the
institution itself. End Comment.)

Second Round Preparations
--------------


5. (SBU) The CEP announced March 10 that the second round of
the elections will take place, Friday, April 21. (reftel)
CEP President Max Mathurin also announced that local and
municipal elections will be held June 18. To formalize the
CEP's proposed electoral calendar, the executive must issue a
Presidential decree to take effect upon publication in the
official government gazette, Le Moniteur. The IGOH/Preval

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transition team is working to determine the date for the
investiture of Parliament and the subsequent inauguration of
President-elect Preval.


6. (C) Preparations for the second round include
troubleshooting to address some of the most obvious problems
from the first round. All aspects of the February 7 election
are being reviewed to identify problems, address weaknesses
and make corrections according to DG Bernard and MINUSTAH
Elections Chief Gerardo Le Chevallier. MINUSTAH election
officials, in conjunction with the CEP, have reviewed claims
of inadequate voting centers (VCs),particularly the
mega-centers in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area,
resulting in the expansion of 50 voting centers with the
addition of annexes, relocation of 40 centers and four new
VCs. Among other adjustments, these changes will require
communication to all affected voters of their new VC and BV.
Poll workers will receive an extra week of training and DG
Bernard told donors that personnel will be hired specifically
for directing voters to the appropriate polling place, Bureau
de Vote (BV),within the VCs.


7. (SBU) The voting kits used in the first round will not be
changed for the April 21 run-off despite some inadequacies.
However, some improvements are envisioned including provision
of extra candles and "fresh" indelible ink markers.

National Identity Card Distribution and Status
-------------- -


8. (C) OAS reports that 91 percent (3.2 of 3.5 million) of
the National Identity Cards have been distributed. The final
registration tally for the period covering April 24, 2005,
through October 15, 2005, represents 77 percent of the
estimated eligible population. Despite rumored claims of
significant problems with the database and mistakes on the
CINs, the OAS technical team received approximately 10,200
requests for changes and/or corrections from citizens. This
represents an error rate of only 0.3 percent, lower than the
expected rate of 0.5 - 1.0 percent. The CEP is planning a
formal "verification" period for the CIN and voter rolls
prior to the local and municipal elections during which
remaining changes or corrections may be requested. Pending
issues for the post-electoral period include the transfer of
the technology to the GOH and the re-opening of registration
rolls for those not yet registered including those who have
turned 18 since registration closed.

Tentative Timeline
--------------


9. (SBU) The timeline for the remaining phases of the
electoral process leaves little room for any delays. The
most immediate pending issue is the CEP's prompt approval and
announcement of the final candidate list once the dispute
period is complete. A tentative/rpt/tentative timeline
follows:
-
3/16 Dispute Phase Complete
3/17-19 CEP Approval and Announcement of Final Candidate
List
3/20-21 Preparations for Printing Ballots
3/22-25 Printing Ballots for nine Departments
(not incl. West)
3/30-4/3 Printing Ballots for West Department
4/4-12 Distribution of non-sensitive voting kit
materials
4/17-20 Distribution of sensitive materials
4/21 Election Day
4/28 Preliminary/Partial Results Announced by CEP
4/29 Investiture of Parliament
4/30 Inauguration of President-elect Preval
TBD Special Election/Second Round Run-off for five
districts
6/18 Local and Municipal Elections

Note: the printing company has long-standing contractual
commitment for printing services to another client for period
3/26-29. End Note.

Comment
--------------

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10. (C) Comment: Previously DG Bernard's biggest nemesis,
CEP Counselor Duchemin has been on his best behavior while
managing the dispute process, enforcing a rigorous schedule,
and otherwise not interfering with Bernard. In the past,
Duchemin has performed commendably when focused on a given
task. With the dispute process coming to an end, we will
closely monitor his behavior.


11. (C) Comment continued: Completion of the dispute process
must be followed by prompt action by the CEP to formalize the
final candidate list allowing for expeditious printing of the
ballots. With DG Bernard's return, electoral preparations
and MINUSTAH and CEP activity levels are high, auguring well
for holding to the April 21 election date. End comment.
SANDERSON