PRIMER ON IEC AND ECC ROLES IN COUNTING AND

UNCLAS KABUL 002596 SENSITIVE SIPDIS 2ND C O R R E C T E D COPY MISNUMBER PARAS DEPARTMENT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/A, EUR/RPM STATE PASS TO AID FOR ASIA/SCAA USFOR-A FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KDEM PGOV PREL AF SUBJECT: PRIMER ON IEC AND ECC ROLES IN COUNTING AND REVIEW OF IRREGULARITIES REF: KABUL ¶1. (SBU) The tally process is moving forward to the provisional results stage and a formal complaints period. This is a primer on Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) roles. IEC Role -------------- ¶2. Most tally sheets for both Presidential and Provincial Council elections in tamper-evident bags (TEBs) have arrived at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) headquarters from provinces around the country. By August 28, we expect over 90 percent of the TEBs will be in Kabul. IEC officials in the Tally Center are working around the clock to process the tally sheets, conduct initial screening, and tally the results. The IEC has investigation and audit teams reviewing results from polling centers that have either sent in questionable TEBs or which have had past problems. At this stage, the IEC may quarantine materials for further investigation and/or disqualify ballots if it identifies fraud. The entire process takes place in the presence of observers. ¶3. (SBU) After the day's preliminary results are entered at the Tally Center in Kabul, they are approved by the IEC Board of Commissioners and announced at the IEC Media Center on a cumulative rolling basis as they are available and until the process is complete. In addition, preliminary results should be posted on the IEC website, and updated every 24 hours (Note: The IEC has been slow to post information previously announced at its August 25 and August 26 press conferences and has posted nothing following its unexplained cancellation of today's press conference. End note.) ¶4. (SBU) The partial preliminary presidential election results announced each day come from a variety of provinces, though by no means a scientifically sampled cross-section. These partial results are formatted for presentation by province and by candidate. Provincial Council election preliminary results will be announced when Provincial Council results for all polling stations in a constituency have been approved by the IEC. Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) Role -------------- ¶5. (SBU) All results are preliminary until the ECC completes investigations and adjudicates each complaint. These continue to arrive at the ECC headquarters in Kabul. A complaint must be filed within 72 hours of the incident. The ECC has the authority to exclude or include ballots in the count, sanction offenders, and order re-polling of elections. All ECC decisions are final and it has the authority to overrule the IEC. ¶6. (SBU) As reported in Kabul 2480, the ECC has emphasized that the September 17 target date for IEC final certification of results is not firm, as the ECC may need additional time to thoroughly investigate and resolve complaints. The IEC can only certify and announce final election results once the ECC has made a decision on all complaints that are filed within the allowed time frame. ¶7. (SBU) Embassy Kabul's Elections Team is confident in the ECC's technical aptitude and its ability to exercise its authority. The Elections Team remains engaged with the ECC on a daily basis to provide support as needed in a low-profile manner. Support may include assistance with travel to provinces, prioritization of complaints, and data collection and analysis. Schedule -------------- ¶8. (SBU) Approximate results announcement schedule: -- Aug 25-Sep 3: Daily partial preliminary results reporting from the IEC, until complete (Note: Today the IEC announced that no press conferences will be held on August 27 or 28. End note). -- Sept 17-23: Final certified results expected from the IEC, dependent on completion of ECC work -- Approximately Oct 10: Inauguration (if first round only) EIKENBERRY