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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PORT AU PRINCE 000543 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM PKAO EAID HA
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTION NEWS ROUND-UP 
 
REF: PORT-AU-PRINCE 476 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Janet A. Sanderson.  Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1.  (C) Summary:  The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) is 
completing review of claims arising from the February 7 
General Election and should finalize candidate lists for 
second round Senate and Chamber of Deputy candidates by March 
¶20.  According to CEP Director General Jacques Bernard, at 
least five districts will require new first round elections 
due to voided results from the February 7 contest.  The CEP 
is studying problems from the first round in order to run 
smoother elections in April.  They are paying particular 
attention to improving operations at voting centers. 
National Identity Card(CIN)/Voter Registration Card 
distribution is at 91 percent with a requested 
correction/change rate of only 0.3 percent.  Additional 
opportunities for correction and/or changes to the CINs will 
be possible prior to the local and municipal elections 
announced by the CEP for June 18.  The official electoral 
calendar, including the inauguration date of President-elect 
Preval, is still pending publication through a Presidential 
decree.  End Summary. 
 
Electoral Disputes 
------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) CEP Director General Jacques Bernard told the 
donors group March 14 that the review of electoral disputes 
at the national level should be completed by March 16.  Of 
the 133 claims filed nationwide, 43 cases rose to the 
national level for decision by the National Bureau for 
Electoral Disputes (BCEN).  Initial reports are that the 
results from five districts will be declared void and the 
election for Chamber of Deputies, and possibly the Senate, 
will be re-run in those districts.  Presidential candidates 
will not be included as the CEP determined that the results 
would not effect the outcome of that race as it currently 
stands.  Bernard identified the five districts 
(circonscriptions) in question as La Chappelle (Artibonite 
Department), Gros Morne (Artibonite Department), Grand Saline 
(Artibonite Department), Bombardopolis/Baie de Henne (North 
West Department), and Pestel/Beaumont (Grand Anse Department). 
 
¶3.  (SBU) The reasons for re-running the election in these 
districts vary but include burnt polling places with 
destroyed ballots, one case of voter/candidate intimidation 
that precluded other members of the political party from 
attempting to vote, and one instance of a ballot misprint 
with the wrong photo printed with the name of the candidate. 
The CEP will hold new elections for all Deputy candidates in 
the voided districts concurrently with the second round 
run-off scheduled for April 21.  A second round for those 
disputed districts will then be held as a special election, 
possibly in conjunction with the local and municipal 
elections. 
 
¶4.  (C) Pierre Richard Duchemin, the CEP Counselor 
responsible for managing the dispute process, told poloff 
that he and others members of the BCEN established a standard 
operating procedure to evaluate claims thereby enhancing 
transparency and facilitating review of its decisions. 
Duchemin and the BCEN team initiated daily telephone contact 
with each Departmental Elections Bureau (BED) to manage the 
dispute process.  The majority of claims were resolved at the 
BED-level.  (Comment:  This integration of the BEDs into the 
electoral process is a step toward correcting a recognized 
weakness of the electoral organization.  The BEDs should play 
an important, managerial role but have been marginalized to 
the detriment of establishing and strengthening the 
institution itself.  End Comment.) 
 
Second Round Preparations 
------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The CEP announced March 10 that the second round of 
the elections will take place, Friday, April 21. (reftel) 
CEP President Max Mathurin also announced that local and 
municipal elections will be held June 18.  To formalize the 
CEP's proposed electoral calendar, the executive must issue a 
Presidential decree to take effect upon publication in the 
official government gazette, Le Moniteur.   The IGOH/Preval 
 
PORT AU PR 00000543  002 OF 003 
 
 
transition team is working to determine the date for the 
investiture of Parliament and the subsequent inauguration of 
President-elect Preval. 
 
¶6.  (C) Preparations for the second round include 
troubleshooting to address some of the most obvious problems 
from the first round.  All aspects of the February 7 election 
are being reviewed to identify problems, address weaknesses 
and make corrections according to DG Bernard and MINUSTAH 
Elections Chief Gerardo Le Chevallier.  MINUSTAH election 
officials, in conjunction with the CEP, have reviewed claims 
of inadequate voting centers (VCs), particularly the 
mega-centers in the Port-au-Prince metropolitan area, 
resulting in the expansion of 50 voting centers with the 
addition of annexes, relocation of 40 centers and four new 
VCs.  Among other adjustments, these changes will require 
communication to all affected voters of their new VC and BV. 
Poll workers will receive an extra week of training and DG 
Bernard told donors that personnel will be hired specifically 
for directing voters to the appropriate polling place, Bureau 
de Vote (BV), within the VCs. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) The voting kits used in the first round will not be 
changed for the April 21 run-off despite some inadequacies. 
However, some improvements are envisioned including provision 
of extra candles and "fresh" indelible ink markers. 
 
National Identity Card Distribution and Status 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
¶8.  (C) OAS reports that 91 percent (3.2 of 3.5 million) of 
the National Identity Cards have been distributed.  The final 
registration tally for the period covering April 24, 2005, 
through October 15, 2005, represents 77 percent of the 
estimated eligible population.  Despite rumored claims of 
significant problems with the database and mistakes on the 
CINs, the OAS technical team received approximately 10,200 
requests for changes and/or corrections from citizens.  This 
represents an error rate of only 0.3 percent, lower than the 
expected rate of 0.5 - 1.0 percent.  The CEP is planning a 
formal "verification" period for the CIN and voter rolls 
prior to the local and municipal elections during which 
remaining changes or corrections may be requested.  Pending 
issues for the post-electoral period include the transfer of 
the technology to the GOH and the re-opening of registration 
rolls for those not yet registered including those who have 
turned 18 since registration closed. 
 
Tentative Timeline 
------------------ 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The timeline for the remaining phases of the 
electoral process leaves little room for any delays.  The 
most immediate pending issue is the CEP's prompt approval and 
announcement of the final candidate list once the dispute 
period is complete.  A tentative/rpt/tentative timeline 
follows: 
- 
3/16      Dispute Phase Complete 
3/17-19   CEP Approval and Announcement of Final Candidate 
          List 
3/20-21   Preparations for Printing Ballots 
3/22-25   Printing Ballots for nine Departments 
          (not incl. West) 
3/30-4/3  Printing Ballots for West Department 
4/4-12    Distribution of non-sensitive voting kit 
          materials 
4/17-20   Distribution of sensitive materials 
4/21      Election Day 
4/28      Preliminary/Partial Results Announced by CEP 
4/29      Investiture of Parliament 
4/30      Inauguration of President-elect Preval 
TBD       Special Election/Second Round Run-off for five 
          districts 
6/18      Local and Municipal Elections 
 
Note:  the printing company has long-standing contractual 
commitment for printing services to another client for period 
3/26-29.  End Note. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
PORT AU PR 00000543  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶10.  (C) Comment:  Previously DG Bernard's biggest nemesis, 
CEP Counselor Duchemin has been on his best behavior while 
managing the dispute process, enforcing a rigorous schedule, 
and otherwise not interfering with Bernard.  In the past, 
Duchemin has performed commendably when focused on a given 
task.  With the dispute process coming to an end, we will 
closely monitor his behavior. 
 
¶11. (C) Comment continued: Completion of the dispute process 
must be followed by prompt action by the CEP to formalize the 
final candidate list allowing for expeditious printing of the 
ballots.  With DG Bernard's return, electoral preparations 
and MINUSTAH and CEP activity levels are high, auguring well 
for holding to the April 21 election date.  End comment. 
SANDERSON