CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION PROCEEDS WITH VOTER

UNCLAS JERUSALEM 000532 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS NEA FOR FRONT OFFICE; NSC FOR ABRAMS/DORAN/WATERS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KPAL KWBG KDEM SUBJECT: CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION PROCEEDS WITH VOTER REGISTRATION REF: JERUSALEM 00517 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: AT A MARCH 20 MEETING OF THE ELECTION REFORMS SUPPORT GROUP (ERSG),CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION (CEC) CHAIRMAN HANNA NASIR TOLD DONORS THAT THE CEC WILL UPDATE ITS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS IN ALL DISTRICTS MARCH 28-APRIL 1 AND HOPES TO REGISTER SOME 300,000 NEW VOTERS. HE SAID THE CEC DID NOT DELIBERATELY DELAY VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE UNTIL THE CREATION OF THE NATIONAL UNITY GOVERNMENT (NUG),BUT THE NUG HAS CREATED A CALMER SITUATION IN WHICH TO CONDUCT THE UPDATE. NASIR ADDED THAT UPDATING VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS IS NECESSARY IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT ROUNDS OF LOCAL ELECTIONS, WHICH HE BELIEVES WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE YEAR END. HE SAID THE CEC HAS SERIOUS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. HE ALSO SAID THE PALESTINIAN BASIC LAW REQUIRES THAT, IF THE PRESIDENT IS INCAPACITATED, RESIGNS, OR DIES IN OFFICE, NEW PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS MUST BE HELD WITHIN 60 DAYS. NASIR ARGUED THAT THIS SHORT TIME LIMIT FORCES THE CEC TO MAINTAIN A STATE OF READINESS THAT INCREASES ITS MONTHLY EXPENSES. THE CEC IS SEEKING RAPID DONOR SUPPORT, AND NASIR SAYS HE WILL LOBBY THE PLC TO INCREASE THE TIME LIMIT TO 90 OR 100 DAYS. END SUMMARY. VOTER REGISTRATION WILL PROCEED IN ALL DISTRICTS -------------- --- ¶2. (SBU) CEC CHAIRMAN HANNA NASIR WELCOMED THE NUG AT THE MARCH 20 ERSG AND SAID HE BELIEVES THE NUG WILL BRING A PERIOD OF CALM AND OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY OF A HAMAS-FATAH AGREEMENT ON EARLY ELECTIONS. HE SAID THE CEC HAD PLANNED AN UPDATE OF ITS VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS FOR SOME TIME, BUT THE DATE KEPT SLIPPING BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY SITUATION AND THE MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ALLOW THE CEC TO USE PA SCHOOL BUILDINGS FOR THE REGISTRATION DRIVE. NASIR EXPLAINED THAT THE NUG "PUSHED BACK THE ISSUE OF EARLY ELECTIONS," AND MADE THE SITUATION "CALMER." THIS MEANS A MORE "MANAGEABLE SITUATION," NASIR SAID, FOR THE CEC'S VOTER REGISTRATION SCHEDULED TO BE HELD IN ALL PALESTINIAN DISTRICTS MARCH 28-APRIL 1. NASIR SAID THE CEC HOPES TO REGISTER AT LEAST 300,000 NEW VOTERS AND WILL CONDUCT AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT BEGINS TWO DAYS BEFORE THE REGISTRATION AND CONTINUES THROUGHOUT. POLITICAL PARTIES AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS WILL OBSERVE THE REGISTRATION UPDATE. ¶3. (SBU) NASIR EXPLAINED THAT PA MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION NASER EDIN A-SHAAR REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE CEC SCHOOL FACILITIES FOR VOTER REGISTRATION UNTIL THE NUG WAS FORMED. NASIR SAID THE CEC REFUSED TO WAIT AND PROCEEDED WITH THE PLANNING FOR THE REGISTRATION IN ORDER TO AVOID THE APPEARANCE THAT THE CEC TAKES ORDERS FROM A GOVERNMENT MINISTER. INSTEAD, THE CEC WILL PUT ITS 574 REGISTRATION CENTERS IN UNRWA SCHOOLS, YOUTH CLUBS, AND OTHER FACILITIES THROUGHOUT THE WEST BANK AND GAZA. NASIR SAID HIS DECISION SENDS THE CLEAR MESSAGE THAT THE CEC IS TOTALLY INDEPENDENT FROM ANY PA GOVERNMENT. ¶4. (SBU) NASIR STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF UPDATING THE VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS BEFORE THE NEXT ROUND OF LOCAL ELECTIONS AND ADDED THAT HE BELIEVES LOCAL ELECTIONS WILL TAKE PLACE THIS YEAR, GIVEN PM HANNIYEH'S REFERENCE TO THEIR IMPORTANCE IN HIS MARCH 17 SPEECH TO THE PLC (REFTEL). PROBLEMS -------------- ¶5. (SBU) NASIR PROVIDED THE BUDGET FOR VOTER REGISTRATION, A BREAKDOWN OF CEC FINANCES AT THE END OF FEBRUARY, MONTHLY RUNNING COSTS, AND ESTIMATED FINANCES AT THE END OF MARCH. HE POINTED OUT THAT BY THE END OF MARCH THE CEC EXPECTS TO HAVE ONLY USD 75,000, AND FACE MONTHLY OPERATING COSTS OF USD 180,000. NASIR EXPLAINED THAT THE CEC HAS DOWNSIZED TO CUT MONTHLY OPERATIONAL COSTS AND IS PREPARED TO DOWNSIZE FURTHER AFTER THE VOTER REGISTRATION UPDATE. HE ESTIMATED THAT DOWNSIZING WILL SAVE THE CEC APPROXIMATELY USD 500,000 PER YEAR. NASIR SAID THE CEC'S FINANCIAL PROBLEMS STEM PARTIALLY FROM HIGH OPERATING COSTS THAT RESULT FROM THE REQUIREMENT THAT CEC MAINTAIN A HIGH STATE OF READINESS. ACCORDING TO THE PALESTINIAN BASIC LAW, THE CEC MUST ADMINISTER ELECTIONS WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE INCAPACITATION, RESIGNATION, OR DEATH OF THE PRESIDENT. HE SAID HE WILL LOBBY THE PLC TO CHANGE THE 60 DAY PERIOD TO A PERIOD OF 90 OR 100 DAYS. SOLUTION? -------------- ¶6. (SBU) THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION (EC) REPRESENTATIVE TO THE ERSG SAID THE CEC COULD PROBABLY USE THE BALANCE OF THE EC DONATION (ALMOST USD 900,000) TO FUND THE VOTER REGISTRATION CAMPAIGN, AND THEN SUBMIT A NEW BUDGET TO THE EC FOR FUNDING. HE NOTED THAT THE CEC HAS COME TO THE ERSG SEVERAL TIMES WHEN ITS FUNDS WERE VERY SHORT AND REQUESTED EMERGENCY FUNDING, BUT THAT THE CEC SHOULD DEVELOP A LONGER TERM BUDGET AND REQUEST FUNDING ON THAT BASIS. HE SEEMED OPTIMISTIC ABOUT EC FUNDING FOR THE CEC AND WILL FOLLOW UP WITH NASIR IN THE NEXT WEEK. THE CEC WILL THEN SOLICIT ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM THE ERSG. WALLES