REVIEWING THE CANDIDATE NOMINATION PROCESS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000891

SIPDIS

KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS
STATE PASS TO USAIF FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG
NSC FOR JWOOD
OSD FOR MCGRAW
CG CJTF-101, POLAD, JICCENT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: REVIEWING THE CANDIDATE NOMINATION PROCESS

REF: A. KABUL 307

B. 2008 KABUL 3197

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1. SUMMARY. On April 25, the nomination period opens for
Presidential and Provincial Council candidates (ref A). All
candidates for the August 2009 elections must register before
the May 8 closure. In preparation, the Independent Electoral
Commission (IEC) has revealed its plans for implementing this
phase of the electoral process. Coordination on transporting
of materials and security support is progressing between the
IEC, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and ISAF. END
SUMMARY.

PREPARING FOR CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS
--------------

2. In the lead-up to the nomination period, materials and
staff are flowing into the IEC's Kabul headquarters. Over
100 newly recruited IEC staff for both headquarters and the
field will receive process and procedure training April
11-13. Employee training manuals on the registration process
are printed and the IEC has preapproved symbols for use by
registering candidates. Procurement of nomination materials
and equipment from domestic sources continues with delivery
scheduled April 10-15. Although no delays are currently
anticipated, the IEC reports that back-up options are in
place should scheduled deliveries fail to materialize. The
IEC will have five days to consolidate the materials and
prepare personnel for departure to the 34 provincial offices.
Each team will consist of three data entry clerks with three
laptops, two printers, one scanner, two camera kits and a
candidate registration box. Based on population size and the
expected number of registering candidates, Nangarhar and
Herat will have two teams each; everywhere else will operate
with one team per province.

SECURITY COORDINATION
--------------


3. On April 20, the candidate nomination teams are scheduled
to begin deploying. The IEC has provided a concept plan for
movement and transportation to the Joint Security Planning
Group (JSPG),the main security planning coordination
mechanism. Through the JSPG, overall responsibility for
security of candidate nomination material delivery has been
assigned to the Afghan National Police. All ANSF and ISAF
forces, with input from the IEC, are collaborating on support
of the movements and filling gaps in ANP assets. Teams and
materials will travel to Kandahar, Balkh and Herat by air,
with ground movement convoys handling transit to other
provinces. Consensus exists between the IEC, UNDP and
stakeholders that the JSPG will finalize the transportation
and security plan this week.
THE NOMINATION PROCESS
--------------


4. Presidential candidates must register in person at the
IEC's Kabul headquarters. To register, potential candidates
must demonstrate eligibility for the office for which they
are running and provide supporting documentation of the
criteria established in the Constitution and Electoral law.
Presidential candidates must be at least 40 years old and
demonstrate that they are Muslim, Afghan citizens not holding
dual nationality. They cannot have convictions for crimes
against humanity, criminal acts or deprivation of civil
rights by a court. In addition, they must demonstrate proof
of voter registration, deposit 50,000 Afs (USD 1,050) and
submit names, signatures (or thumbprints) and voter
registration card numbers of 10,000 voters supporting their
candidacy. The deposit is refundable if a candidate receives
at least 15% of the total valid votes. The additional
criteria suggested by IEC Chairman Dr. Ludin has not been
implemented at this time nor is it expected prior to the
start of the candidate registration process.

5. Provincial Council (PC) candidates must register in the
province in which they are standing for office (ref B). A PC
candidate must be at least 18 years old and have held Afghan
citizenship for a minimum of 10 years. They must deposit
4,000 Afs (USD 85) and put forward names, signatures (or
thumbprints) and voter registration card numbers of 200
supporting voters resident in the province of candidacy. The
deposit is refundable if a candidate receives at least 2% of
the total valid votes.
AFTERMATH
--------------


6. During the nomination process, data collected on

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candidates will be transmitted electronically to the IEC's
Kabul headquarters from the provincial offices. Difficulties
in the registration process should be promptly reported to
the IEC's operations center. Each Provincial Office will
develop a schedule for the return of registration materials
to Kabul in coordination with headquarters. The data entry
staff will remain with the material until it is retrieved,
helping to ensure integrity of the materials. Overall, the
IEC's coordination with key partners appears to be creating
an implementable Afghan-led process for candidate
registration.
RICCIARDONE