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

UNCLAS LILONGWE 000434 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM PINR PHUM MI
SUBJECT: POLLING DAY PROGRESSES PEACEFULLY 
 
REF: A. 03 LILONGWE 1202 
 
     ¶B. LILONGWE 404 
     ¶C. LORD/SES-O EMAILS (5/20/04) 
 
SUMMARY 
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¶1. (SBU) In a calm and orderly fashion, Malawians turned out 
to vote in Malawi's third democratic presidential and 
parliamentary elections on May 20.  A morning rush to the 
polls led to an afternoon lull, with only a few reports of 
minor violence.  Persistent problems with the voters' roll 
and voter transfers caused delays and resulted in some 
legitimately registered voters not being allowed to vote. 
Noting a generally good administration of the polls, 
observers have questioned internal controls at some voting 
centers.  END SUMMARY. 
 
SOME DELAYS AT OPENING 
---------------------- 
¶2. (U) There have been reports that some centers were delayed 
in opening at the scheduled 6:00 AM because officials were 
not ready on time.  By 8:00 AM, it appears that polling 
stations were open and generally had all ballots and 
materials necessary for administering the vote. 
 
FEW REPORTS OF MINOR VIOLENCE 
----------------------------- 
¶3. (U) There have been a few reports of minor violence.  In 
Blantyre, a police officer and elections official were 
reportedly beaten because a crowd of people waiting to vote 
thought the ballot box had been filled with ballots before 
the center opened.  Electoral Commission investigations 
revealed that the ballots in the box were unused and all 
accounted for.  Voting at the center began around 11:00 AM 
and will extended until 11:00 PM. 
 
WEAK INTERNAL CONTROLS AND PROBLEMS WITH VOTERS' ROLL 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
¶4. (SBU) US Mission observers noted weak internal controls at 
some voting centers.  They found that some ballot boxes had 
not been properly sealed and that not all control forms had 
been filled out, both of which were supposed to be completed 
during opening procedures. (NOTE: Without the properly 
completed documentation, it will be difficult to verify that 
voting boxes have not been tampered with.) 
 
¶5. (SBU) Observers also noted that many registered voters 
were not listed on the computerized voters' roll.  Elections 
officials consulted the 1999 register to find the missing 
individuals, which created delays at many centers.  When a 
voter was not found on either roll, the person was not 
allowed to vote.  There has also been a great deal of 
confusion about processing voter transfers.  These problems 
have frustrated and disenfranchised some legitimately 
registered voters. 
 
¶6. (SBU) In some centers, observers said, election officials 
did not mark on the voters' roll which voters had voted, nor 
did they indicate which voters were verified by use of the 
1999 roll.  This lack of record-keeping could result in 
discrepancies between the number of ballots cast and the 
actual number of voters. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Other minor administrative hiccups have occurred, 
mostly involving inadequate materials.  The Malawi Electoral 
Commission has reportedly been replenishing centers suffering 
from shortages. 
 
VOTER TURNOUT 
------------- 
¶8. (U)  After a morning rush at the polls, voting centers 
were notably quieter in the afternoon.  As of mid-afternoon, 
observers report that around 50% of registered voters have 
voted and that election officials are ready for a flurry of 
last minute voters.  (NOTE: In the 1999 presidential 
elections, 92% of registered voters voted.) 
 
COMMENT 
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¶9. (SBU) Apart from expected disorganization at some centers 
and the serious problems with the voters' roll, polling is 
proceeding relatively well.  The failure of many elections 
officials to follow internal control procedures is of concern 
as it could facilitate rigging. 
DOUGHERTY