CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION MAKES PROGRESS TOWARD

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002143

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL DR
SUBJECT: CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION MAKES PROGRESS TOWARD
08 ELECTIONS



1. Summary: On September 6, the Dominican Central Electoral
Commission (JCE),which manages the provision of
identification documents as well as running the electoral
process, told the Charge that it has made good strides in
preparing for the 2008 presidential elections in the
Dominican Republic. The JCE estimates that the number of
Dominicans voting from overseas will nearly triple in 2008 to
roughly 120,000, and noted that several changes currently
under consideration should allow the process to work more
transparently and more efficiently. The institution has also
reportedly made progress in providing accurate and up-to-date
identification documents, necessary to reduce voter and
identity fraud. To support its institutional strengthening,
the JCE has also requested assistance in training its staff
in documentation fraud and asked for help in facilitating
Dominicans' access to polling stations in the U.S. End
Summary.



2. In a courtesy call on September 6, the president of the
administrative chamber of the JCE, Roberto Rosario, informed
the Charge that the JCE is making significant progress in
preparing for next year's presidential elections on May 16.
The administrative chamber of the JCE is responsible for
managing the electoral process as well as managing the
documentation of Dominican citizens and verifying their
eligibility to vote in elections.

Advances in Organizing the Electoral Process
--------------


3. Rosario and the National Director of Elections, Joel
Lantigua, said that their preparations for the 2008 elections
than they were at a similar point for the 2004 elections.
Lantigua noted that they have already identified 70,000
election workers, which includes the 35,000 needed to manage
the process at 13,200 polling stations as well as an
alternate for each worker. The JCE is improving its training
of these workers and has 400 trainers who will begin the
training process as early as September 15. In addition, the
JCE has sent a proposal to the political parties for
consideration that would change the way the votes are
collected by establishing a computer scanning system to
transmit the ballots electronically from each polling station
to the relevant JCE district and national headquarters to
allow for quicker election projections. The previous process
of laminating the ballots, copying them, and hand delivering
them to the JCE will not be abandoned, but will require less
resources; the new system is expected to cut down on the
administrative cost of collecting the votes (i.e., less
expenses on vehicles, staff, fuel, etc.).

Rising Numbers of Dominicans Voting Overseas
--------------


4. The JCE also discussed the organization of overseas
voting in next year's elections, including the expansion of
voting opportunities for Dominican expatriates in the U.S.
Rosario said that roughly 42,000 Dominicans voted overseas in
the 2004 elections, primarily in the U.S., and confirmed that
as many as 81,000 have already been registered to vote
abroad. He estimated that the total number of voters
overseas could approximate 120,000 by the voter registration
deadline, which is the 16th of December, a full six months
prior to election day. Lantigua pointed to the expansion of
voting opportunities in multiple U.S. states as well as in
other countries, including Panama and Costa Rica. Dominicans
abroad will be required to appear physically at voting
stations being established by the JCE in collaboration with
its diplomatic missions. Rosario noted that the Dominican
Republic's election day is a national holiday and lamented
the fact that it will be a working day in the U.S. Rosario
verbally asked that the State Department assist in
facilitating the ability of Dominicans residing in the U.S.
to be enabled to cast their votes without employer
interference, but did not provide specifics.

Documenting Dominicans and Reducing Identity Fraud
-------------- --------------


5. Rosario made a special effort to elaborate on the JCE's
efforts to modernize the documents of its citizens and the
verification of personal information. He said photo and
fingerprint identification is being implemented throughout
the country in an effort to bolster the accuracy of the JCE's
documentation. He also elaborated on the JCE's plan to
create a comprehensive web-based database that could be
shared with diplomatic missions, at nominal administrative
cost, to reduce identity fraud in the acquisition of
passports and visas. To support the JCE's efforts, Rosario
asked the Charge for assistance in providing training
seminars to JCE staff in document fraud detection. The
Charge requested a formal proposal outlining the scope and

cost of such assistance, but assured Rosario that the
proposal would be considered favorably, noting previous USG
assistance to the JCE (Note: The Consular Section's Fraud
Prevention Unit currently interacts with the JCE on
fraud-related matters and has coordinated limited training
sessions over the past year. End Note).


6. Responding to a question from the Charge concerning the
high number of undocumented individuals, particularly in
rural areas, Rosario revealed that the JCE, with financing
from the World Bank, plans to operate 15 to 30 mobile
identification and registration vehicles. The mobile
registration stations would go into rural and urban areas,
especially in poor neighborhoods, and investigate cases of
undocumented citizens. Rosario cautiously estimated that
once the mobile stations are operational the JCE should be
able to resolve its undocumented problem within three years.


7. Comment: Although the subject was not raised during the
courtesy call, the main opposition Dominican Revolutionary
Party (PRD) formally requested election observers from the
OAS last week. The PRD is cocerned that, despite the
current JCE being one ofthe best in recent history, the
ruling PLD will ttempt some form of electoral fraud. The OAS
hasresponded, regarding concerns about electoral frau, that
it does not believe that a serious threat of fraud exists.
Post discussed the possibility of providing funding to the
OAS for international bservers, as was done for the 2006
elections, bu determined that such a step is not necessary
ths year since the Dominican Republic has advanced
sufficiently in its ability to organize and administer
elections. Domestic observers led by civil society are, with
USG assistance, playing a strong role in overseeing campaigns
and the electoral process. (Note: Aside from the
determination that it is unnecessary, no USG democracy and
governance funding is presently available to support election
observers. End Note.) JCE officials did not comment to us on
the infighting within the institution which has received
press coverage recently. Embassy will follow up and report
Septel.
BULLEN