Argentina: Logistical Challenges in Convening

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 000557

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/11/2039
TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: Logistical Challenges in Convening
June Mid-Terms

Ref: Buenos Aires 360


Classified by DCM Tom Kelly for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d).


1. (C) Summary/Introduction: The GOA's decision in mid-
March to move up the legislative elections by four months
(ref A) has raised concerns among local observers that
some organizational requirements, such as voter
registration and the identification and manning of
polling places, may not be satisfactorily accomplished by
the new June 28 election date. Paper of record "La
Nacion" quoted one high-level Argentine electoral
official complaining that there is not enough "time to
solve administrative problems that require modification
of prevailing regulations." With an eye to addressing
these issues, the Electoral Court has urged citizens to
verify that they are registered and called for volunteers
to work at polling places on Election Day. While these
challenges are not new, moving up the elections has put
greater stress on an already weakened electoral system.
Given the expected close battle in voter-rich Buenos
Aires Province, extensive reports of problems on June 28
could easily generate controversy and mistrust. As part
of our continuing coverage of the June mid-terms, this
cable identifies key logistical challenges to convening
the elections and will be followed by a primer -- closer
to the mid-terms -- on the voting process. End
Summary/Introduction.

2. (SBU) The GOA's decision in mid-March to move up the
legislative elections by four months (ref A) raised
concerns among local observers that some organizational
requirements, such as voter registration and the
identification and manning of polling places, may not be
satisfactorily accomplished by the June 28 elections.
Paper of record "La Nacion" quoted one high-level
Argentine electoral official complaining that there is
not enough "time to solve administrative problems that
require modification of prevailing regulations." This
official added, "no one can assume that these elections
are going to be smoother than the 2007 (presidential)
elections." Memories of problems then, including polling
stations opening late, long lines for voters, and reports
of missing party ballots, are still fresh in the minds of
some voters. Additionally, "La Nacion" reports that
voter rolls in 2007 had a suspiciously high number
(26,290) of people over the age of 100, implying the
voter rolls had not been adequately updated and purged of
dead voters.

Election Organizing Entities
--------------


3. (SBU) The elections are overseen by the Ministry of
Interior's National Elections Board, whose president is
Alejandro Tullio. However, the National Electoral Court
(CNE) is responsible for the implementation of the
elections, including voter registration, approval of
party ballots, the identification and manning of polling
places, and vote counting. Argentina does not use a
unified ballot listing all candidates for voters to
choose from. Instead, the Interior Ministry provides
funds to political parties to print their own ballots.

Doubts about Voter Registration
--------------


4. (SBU) The compressed electoral schedule has heightened
voters' concerns about their registration status. "La
Nacion" reported April 22 that 3.5 million Argentines
responded to the National Electoral Court's April 14
request that citizens verify their voter registration.
One Embassy contact bemoaned to poloff that such calls
more likely reflected greater distrust in the electoral
system as opposed to increased interest in voting.
Voters who are not included in the registry must advise
the Electoral Secretary by April 29. As of April 22,
there were 50,000 voters in the Federal District who
needed to be added to the voter registry, according to
"La Nacion". Argentines must present a national identity
document (DNI) to vote, which a March 2009 presidential
decree has made available free-of-charge from birth until
the age of 12. The DNI must be renewed twice for a $15
peso fee (approximately US$ 4.00) with the final renewal
occurring at the age of 16 when the Electoral Court is
notified for inclusion in the national voter registry.
This renewal process can last an average of six months.
Embassy contacts point out that the DNI can be easily
falsified. For example, the daughter of a congressional
staffer was not able to vote in the 2007 presidential
elections because she and another individual were
mistakenly given the same DNI number. Although the April
29 deadline for voter registration has passed, the total
number of voters registered for the June mid-terms has
not yet been published.

...And About Polling Places
--------------


5. (SBU) Local observers also point to the difficulties
in ensuring that there are sufficient polling places and
election authorities to staff them. Embassy's locally
employed staff note, for example, that in the Federal
District many schools, which typically serve as polling
stations, are under renovation and consequently
alternative buildings will need to be identified. The
deadline for announcing polling places is May 29.


6. (SBU) Questions also persist over whether the
government will be able to recruit or draft enough
election authorities ("autoridades de mesa"),including a
president and at least one alternate, to preside over
each polling station throughout the country. For Buenos
Aires province, "La Nacion" estimates there are 30,000
polling stations, which would require at least 60,000
election authorities. Similar to the U.S jury duty
system, voters can be randomly selected to serve as
election authorities. Training is not obligatory to
serve as an election authority, but voters can access
training material online, including a course created by
the Argentine chapter of Transparency International,
Citizen's Power (Poder Ciudadano). Although there are
penalties, including six months to two years in jail for
failing to serve as an election authority without prior
notice, 65% of designated poll workers in Argentina's
largest cities did not show up on voting day in 2007,
according to "La Nacion". In the Federal District,
Buenos Aires City Judge Maria Servini de Cubria has
opened 900 cases against individuals who, without
justification, failed to report for duty as election
authorities in 2007. Sixty cases have been processed so
far -- no one has been sent to jail, but several dozen
have been tasked with community service. In addition to
election authorities, parties will also send "fiscales de
mesa" representatives to observe the elections and the
subsequent vote counting. Parties must designate their
"fiscales" by May 29 and election authorities must be
determined by June 8.

A Call for Volunteers
--------------


7. (SBU) With an eye to addressing a potentially low
turnout of election authorities, the Electoral Court
called for election volunteers in early December 2008.
"La Nacion" reported May 5 that 1,239 people have
volunteered to work on June 28, a total that would not
cover 1% of the polling places. Additionally, the Buenos
Aires Supreme Court approved a petition by the province's
Electoral Court allowing federal judges working in the
province and other high-level justice provincial
officials to serve as election authorities. The
Electoral Court has also expanded the call for volunteers
to students in public and private universities that are
not registered with a specific party.


8. (C) Comment: While these challenges are not new,
moving up the elections has put greater stress on an
already weakened electoral system. Given the expected
close battle in voter-rich Buenos Aires Province,
extensive reports of problems on Election Day could
easily generate controversy and mistrust.

WAYNE