SENEGAL: ELECTION SITREP 1, 13:50 GMT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAKAR 000426

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR S/S-O, S/S-S, AF, AF/W, AF/RSA, DRL/AE AND INR/AA
PARIS FOR POL - D'ELIA

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC KDEM PGOV PHUM PINS PREL SG
SUBJECT: SENEGAL: ELECTION SITREP 1, 13:50 GMT



1. (U) SUMMARY: Senegal's 4.9 million registered voters appear to
be voting in large numbers today in what most see as a referendum on
President Abdoulaye Wade's seven years in office. The voters roll
is twice as large as the 2000 list and includes many youth who had
hoped Wade would create more jobs. Initial reports indicate that
turnout is high and voters are largely able to cast their ballots
freely, but organizational problems are slowing the voting process.
END SUMMARY.


2. (U) Turnout appears high at most polling stations. Observers
report voters waiting patiently in long lines beginning well before
8 :00 a.m., and it is likely that not all voters will be able to
vote before the polls officially close at 6 :00 p.m. At least two
local prefects have stated they have been authorized to remain open
as late as 8 :00 p.m. if voters are still in line.


3. (U) Many polls opened late, but most voting stations were
operational by 9 :00 a.m., one hour after the official opening of
polls. In some cases, the delay was caused by missing materials,
such as the "a vote" (has voted) stamp.


4. (U) Overall, the voting environment is neutral : observers have
reported isolated instances of propaganda or visible campaign
material (less than one percent of observed polling stations) and no
overt attempt to intimidate voters. In one rural Casamance village,
a woman wearing a uniform identifying her as an employee of the
Ministry of Women served breakfast to poll workers and voters in two
voting rooms. In some other cases, party representatives were seen
to assist voters in casting their votes, but this practice was not
widespread and is authorized under the electoral code.


5. (U) Voting has moved very slowly. To some degree, this can be
attributed to voters unfamiliar with the voting process. In some
cases, observers reported elderly voters leaving the voting booths
with empty hands, having thrown their ballots into the trash boxes
in the voting booths rather than depositing them into the ballot
boxes outside the voting booths.


6. (SBU) Poor organization, however, rather than voter error, is
the primary cause of the slow pace of voting. Most delays in poll
opening can be attributed to lack of preparation and organization by
the electoral commission. Lines of voters remained long and grew
throughout the morning. Observers reported that even at the same
polling location (lieu de vote),different polling booths (bureaux
de vote) were organized and run differently, with widely varying
degrees of efficiency.


7. (SBU) Many poll workers are unclear on their responsibilities.
In at least three cases, poll officials asked or allowed political
party representatives to assist voters in voting. In another case,
the election commission representative did not have his copy of the
voter registration rolls, which voters sign after they vote. The
signed exit rolls can then be checked against the entry rolls which
the voter signs as s/he enters the polling office. The poll worker
stated it was too much work to have each voter sign the rolls twice,
and said "They will copy the book for me later," missing the point
that having two separate rolls helps to ensure the integrity of the
process.


8. (U) The overall security environment is calm. Most businesses
and restaurants are closed; and there is no/no evidence of increased
police and gendarme presence on the streets of Dakar or in the
vicinity of polling stations.


9. (U) On February 23, Minister of Interior and Local Government
Ousmane Ngom told representatives of the 2,500 Senegalese and
international observers that the Government was ready for a "free,
fair and transparent election." He noted the entire voters roll is
on the Internet. Each of the 12,000 plus polling places is
identified on maps that are available to citizens and observers, and
the security force ballots have been safeguarded since approximately
19,000 of the possible 23,000 cast their ballots on February 17 and

18. Over 90 percent of registered voters have picked up their new
biometric voter and national identity cards, which cost USD 40
million. The Government hopes that another five percent will
retrieve their cards at polling stations today. In response to a
question about pre-campaign election activities, Ngom reiterated
that the Government had authorized 69 percent of demonstrations and
marches for a total of 132.


10. (U) Ngom also assured the observers that there would be no
fictional polling stations. Approximately 2,000 Senegalese
observers are monitoring the election, and approximately 500
international observers are on the ground. In addition to the 52
U.S. mission observers who are working in 14 teams, the
International Observatory for Democracy has sent 166 observers led
by the Chairman of Burkina Faso's independent election commission.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has fielded
60 observers. Moreover, "la Francophonie," the African Union (AU),
the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA or WAEMU),the

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Organization of the Islamic Conferences (OIC),and various national
delegations from Europe are observing.

JACOBS