A DETAILED GUIDE TO YEREVAN'S MAY 31 MUNICIPAL ELECTION

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SUBJECT: A DETAILED GUIDE TO YEREVAN'S MAY 31 MUNICIPAL ELECTION
MECHANICS

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YEREVAN CITY COUNCIL ELECTION
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1. (SBU) The Law on Local Self-Governance in Yerevan was passed by
the National Assembly on December 26, 2008, and created the
framework for the pre-election period, election, and post-election
day procedures. This cable summarizes those provisions. The new
law provides for a new City Council of 65 elected members selected
from party lists (proportional representation). The minimum
threshold for a party to win seats in the Yerevan City Council is
seven percent of votes cast (nine percent for registered multi-party
coalitions). If one political party or bloc receives a plurality
with more than 40 percent of the vote, but less than an absolute
majority, extra "bonus" seats are allocated to that party or bloc to
establish an absolute majority of Council seats (33 of 65 seats).

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YEREVAN MAYOR'S ELECTION
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2. (SBU) The Mayor should be elected during the first session of the
City Council, which is due on Monday following the announcement of
the official election results (June 8). If any political party or
bloc receives more than 50 percent of the 65 seats in the City
Council (after the "bonus" seats are awarded to a 40-plus percent
plurality winner),then the first person on that party list
automatically becomes the Yerevan Mayor -- unless s/he withdraws
from consideration.

3. (SBU) If no party or bloc receives more than 50 percent of the
seats, than the mayor must be elected by secret vote of the city
council. The council will follow the same procedure in the event
that a party wins an absolute majority but the number one candidate
on the party list withdraws from the mayorship. Council factions
may only nominate mayoral candidates from their party lists working
top-down. For instance, if the top candidate on the list refuses to
be nominated, then the party may only nominate the next candidate
down on its party list, unless that person also withdraws from
consideration, in which case it moves down to the next spot.
Individuals do not relinquish their council seats simply by
declining to serve as mayor.

4. (SBU) The candidate receiving the majority of votes of all
council members is elected mayor. In the event that none of the
candidates receives more than 50 percent of votes, then the leading
two candidates will run in a second round. An unopposed mayoral
candidate must still obtain the positive votes of 40 percent of the
council to win the mayorship -- unless his/her party won a majority
of seats, triggering the automatic conferral of the mayorship.

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TO-DOs FOR PARTIES AND BLOCS CONTESTING THE ELECTION
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5. (SBU) Parties and blocs wishing to participate in the May 31
Yerevan City Council Election had to apply to the Central Election
Commission (CEC) by March 22, at 6:00pm. The CEC should verify the
submitted lists and register them from April 26 to May 1. In case
there are inaccuracies in the lists, the CEC should provide 48 hours
to the corresponding party or bloc to correct the errors.
Campaigning is allowed from May 2 through midnight May 29 (overnight
of May 29/30). Public opinion poll results about candidates' ratings
cannot be published from midnight May 23 (overnight May 23/24) until
8:00 pm on the voting day (at close of polls). Parties and blocs can
withdraw from the race by May 21.

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ELECTION PREPARATION AT ELECTION COMMISSIONS
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6. (SBU) Polling stations must be formed by April 16. On April 21
the voter registration office (OVIR) provides polling stations with
the printed version of preliminary voter lists for posting in the
premise on the same day, and provides the electronic versions of the
lists to Territorial Election Commissions (TECs). Precinct Election
Commissions (PECs) are formed from May 5 to May 8 and conduct their
first session on May 9, at 12:00 noon.


7. (SBU) From May 26-28 the CEC will provide the Territorial
Election Commissions with PEC stamps, and on May 29 OVIR will
provide TECs with the electronic copy of the final voter lists. The
same day TECs should provide PEC chairmen with 2 printed copies of
the final voter lists, one in the form of a journal and the other to
be posted outside the polling station, which should be done the same
day. Ballot papers are printed on May 22-28. PECs receive ballot
papers, stamps and envelopes from TECs on May 30, and sign all the
ballot papers and all pages of voter lists the same day. On election
day PECs should start their session at 7:00 am. Voting hours are
from 8:00am - 8:00pm.

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VOTERS
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8. (SBU) Voters should be notified about the date and place of the
vote by May 28. Before May 10, voters with temporary Yerevan
registration can apply to their community (neighborhood) executive
to be included in the voter list, or they can apply with that
request to OVIR by May 16. Appeals to eliminate inaccuracies in
voter lists or to add names should be submitted to the community
executive by May 24 or OVIR by May 26. In addition, voters can check
their names on voter lists on the CEC website: www.elections.am

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SUMMATION OF RESULTS
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9. (SBU) Results of PEC protocols should be ready and publicized on
June 1 by 6:00am. All election-related materials should be submitted
to TECs on June 1 by 8:00am. The CEC should publicize preliminary
results of the vote on June 1 by 8:00pm. Applications for recounts
must be submitted to TECs by 2:00pm June 1 (the day after election
day). Recounts (if any are requested) must be conducted between
9:00am June 2 and 2:00pm June 5. The CEC must publicize the final
election results by June 7.

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ELECTION OBSERVATION
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10. (SBU) Organizations wishing to observe the election should apply
to the CEC by May 21. The Council of Europe and the largest domestic
monitoring organization, "It's Your Choice," have each expressed
intentions to supply observers. The Embassy has communicated its
desire for observer credentials to the CEC Chairman and to the
Foreign Ministry.

PENNINGTON