ANBAR GEO UPDATE: ONGOING ELECTION PREPARATIONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003620 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV IZ SUBJECT: ANBAR GEO UPDATE: ONGOING ELECTION PREPARATIONS ¶1. (U) This is a PRT Anbar reporting cable. SUMMARY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On November 2, PRT and MNF-West staff met with Anbar Governorate Electoral Office Director (GEO),Khalid Rajab, for a second time in Ramadi. The GEO noted that there are 52 registered entities for provincial elections in Anbar. He intends to assign five schoolteachers for each polling station. The GEO affirmed that he is receiving adequate logistical support. The GEO's security manager, Omar al-Faraji, attended the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC)-sponsored security manager's course in Baghdad from October 25-30. A recent survey of construction workers conducted in Ramadi suggests 71 percent of those interviewed intend to vote in the upcoming elections. END SUMMARY. VOTER REGISTRATION CENTERS AND POLLING STATIONS -------------- -- ¶3. (SBU) PRT and MNF-West met with Anbar Governorate Electoral Office Director (GEO),Khalid Rajab, and his staff on November 2 at his downtown Ramadi office to discuss candidate nominations, voter education, and security preparations for the provincial elections in Anbar. He made the following points: -- There are 52 registered entities; many are only one-candidate. The GEO has submitted the candidates' names to the De-Ba'athification Committee for review. -- The GEO intends to assign five schoolteachers for each ballot box and estimates employing 11,000 workers province-wide for the elections. Each will receive a month's salary for two weeks of work in connection with election duties. -- There will be 277 polling centers across Anbar for the provincial elections. Each polling center will have several ballot boxes to service the estimated 360,000 voters expected to turnout on election day. The GEO is planning for one ballot box per 400 voters. --The GEO designated 28 voter registration centers to be used for the Exhibition and Challenge period, when political entities have the right to challenge the validity of voters identified on the voter lists. The challenge period ended November 12. -- The GEO plans to assign one interpreter at each polling center to assist international observers. -- The GEO affirmed that he is receiving adequate logistical support. He received two new generators, extra Thuraya batteries, a metal detector, and additional equipment through a Development Alternatives Inc. (DAI) contract last week. This equipment is part of an IHEC initiative to ensure that GEOs countrywide have electrical power, communications, and security equipment. SECURITY -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The GEO's security manager, Omar al-Faraji, attended an IHEC-sponsored security manager's course in Baghdad from October 25-30. As a result, Omar says he is better prepared to ensure physical security of the ballots, their movement, and physical security of the polling centers. RAMADI ELECTION SURVEY DATA -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The GEO's preparations come against the backdrop of heightened voter anticipation for the forthcoming election. A recent survey of construction workers in Ramadi indicated that 71 percent of those interviewed intend to vote in the upcoming provincial elections, stating the need to make the provincial council more responsive to the populace. However, their desire to vote does not appear to be linked to political awareness--few who expressed an intention to vote could identify current Provincial Council members. Others said that their vote would not make a difference and that all political leaders are corrupt. COMMENT -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Some 360,000 Anbaris verified their registration data during the period ending August 28. This number represents nearly 100 times the size of the voter turnout in ¶2005. This heightened sense of political mobilization reflects Anbaris' dissatisfaction with the current provincial BAGHDAD 00003620 002 OF 002 government and a desire not to repeat the mistakes of the past by boycotting this election (NOTE: Sunnis throughout Iraq largely boycotted the 2005 elections. END NOTE). Election turnout is expected to be relatively high--between 60-70 percent of the 730,000 eligible voters in Anbar. The PRT believes that election preparations in Anbar are going smoothly. END COMMENT. CROCKER