This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 005088 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC), USOAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: DR PGOV PREL
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN ELECTORAL BOARD MOVING AHEAD 
 
REF: A. (A) SANTO DOMINGO 4915 
     ¶B. (B) SANTO DOMINGO 5003 (NOTAL) 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Central Electoral Board ("JCE") President 
Luis Arias and seven of the eight other electoral judges 
assured the Ambassador on September 9 that -- contrary to 
claims by opposition critics -- preparations for the May 16, 
2004, presidential election in the Dominican Republic were on 
schedule and that registration problems would be resolved. 
The Ambassador welcomed JCE officials' expressed commitment 
to free, fair,and clean elections.  He also noted a need for 
the JCE to strengthen its credibility and dispel suspicions 
of political bias that might favor President Mejia's bid for 
reelection.  Arias told him the GODR welcomed and expected 
international observers, as in past elections.  End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) On September 9 the Ambassador, accompanied by DCM 
and emboffs, met with President of the Dominican Republic's 
Central Electoral Board (Junta Central Electoral - JCE) Luis 
Arias, the three judges of the Administrative Chamber which 
will organize and conduct the election, and four of the five 
judges of the Dispute Resolution Chamber (Camara Contenciosa) 
responsible for adjudicating any questions about the vote 
count or allegations of irregularities.  The Ambassador 
emphasized the importance of the JCE's work to ensure clean, 
fair, and transparent elections and welcomed JCE members' 
commitment to the same.  He noted concern by various of our 
political party contacts (reftels) that the JCE is stacked in 
favor of the ruling PRD's PPH faction, which backs President 
Mejia's pre-candidacy for reelection.  Arias noted that he 
and another judge had served during the previous presidential 
election in 2000, which observers concluded had been free and 
fair.  According to Arias, what matters is "how the judges 
behave, not their political party affiliation."  He, 
Administrative Chamber head Nelson Gomez Arias, and Dispute 
Resolution Chamber head Salvador Ramos all expressed their 
commitment to transparency and correct procedure in the 
election. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Ambassador asked whether, as in the past, the 
JCE would accredit international observers to this election. 
Arias, referring to his experience as an alternate JCE judge 
beginning in 1996, replied that it was a "tradition" for the 
Dominican Republic to accept observers.  Possible sources 
were the OAS, the UN, and prominent NGOs such as CAPEL, IFES, 
NDI, and/or the Carter Center.  They would arrive anywhere 
from three days to one month before the election.  However, 
it was up to the national government holding the election to 
invite the observers, he emphasized.  The Ambassador stressed 
the USG's continuing support for the democratic process. 
Arias said the Embassy "has much to offer" to the JCE and 
that he would approve of USG participation as part of the 
international observer presence.  In reply to a question, 
Arias acknowledged receipt of a UNDP proposal for technical 
assistance to the JCE, but indicated the board had not yet 
decided whether to accept the assistance.  (Note: He gave no 
reason for the delay.  End note.) 
 
¶4. (SBU) Legal changes last year reduced the maximum number 
of voters per polling station to 400, and consequently some 
900,000 voters must go to different stations.  The 
administrative judges explained that 300,000 of the cases 
were already resolved and the voters would receive letters 
informing them of the change.  Another 300,000 would get 
their letters by December and the remainder would go out well 
in advance of election day.  (Note: The JCE expects to 
increase the number of polling places to 12,500 for the 
upcoming election, to accommodate the rise in number of 
voters.  End note.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Another issue, regularizing the credentials of 
21,000 voters who have duplicate identification cards 
(cedulas), was also being addressed, he said.  A pilot 
project would enable some 20,000 - 30,000 Dominicans living 
abroad to vote through consulates, but the judges 
acknowledged this would benefit relatively few of the more 
than one million Dominicans living in the US.  The judges 
claimed that the composition of 107 of the 134 municipal 
election boards had been agreed to by local party 
representatives, but said JCE inspectors had to confirm this. 
 Disputes over appointments to 22 local boards remained 
unresolved. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Comment: Arias assumed the JCE presidency in July, 
replacing Ramon Morel Cerda who had been accused of nepotism, 
resisting reforms, and quarreling with the other judges. 
Opposition contacts have told us that six of the nine current 
judges, including Arias, sympathize with the PRD.  Such 
partisan imbalance is nothing new, and may or may not 
translate into partisan decisions.  In any event, it 
undermines public confidence in the board's impartiality. 
Amid the current tension created by Mejia's desire to be 
reelected -- a controversial topic for the many Dominicans 
who recall all too well the Balaguer and Trujillo eras -- the 
JCE will need to do a better job of establishing its 
transparency and credibility.  The electoral board will also 
have to perform its task with a majority of inexperienced 
judges and a reformed structure that is so far untested. 
Among its other duties, the JCE will decide which entities 
may send observers, and how many, to the polls. 
HERTELL