VZCZCXYZ0029
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHDG #2143/01 2562055
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 132055Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 9204

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002143 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL DR
SUBJECT: CENTRAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION MAKES PROGRESS TOWARD 
08 ELECTIONS 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  On September 6, the Dominican Central Electoral 
Commission (JCE), which manages the provision of 
identification documents as well as running the electoral 
process, told the Charge that it has made good strides in 
preparing for the 2008 presidential elections in the 
Dominican Republic.  The JCE estimates that the number of 
Dominicans voting from overseas will nearly triple in 2008 to 
roughly 120,000, and noted that several changes currently 
under consideration should allow the process to work more 
transparently and more efficiently.  The institution has also 
reportedly made progress in providing accurate and up-to-date 
identification documents, necessary to reduce voter and 
identity fraud.  To support its institutional strengthening, 
the JCE has also requested assistance in training its staff 
in documentation fraud and asked for help in facilitating 
Dominicans' access to polling stations in the U.S.  End 
Summary. 
 
 
¶2.  In a courtesy call on September 6, the president of the 
administrative chamber of the JCE, Roberto Rosario, informed 
the Charge that the JCE is making significant progress in 
preparing for next year's presidential elections on May 16. 
The administrative chamber of the JCE is responsible for 
managing the electoral process as well as managing the 
documentation of Dominican citizens and verifying their 
eligibility to vote in elections. 
 
Advances in Organizing the Electoral Process 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Rosario and the National Director of Elections, Joel 
Lantigua, said that their preparations for the 2008 elections 
than they were at a similar point for the 2004 elections. 
Lantigua noted that they have already identified 70,000 
election workers, which includes the 35,000 needed to manage 
the process at 13,200 polling stations as well as an 
alternate for each worker.  The JCE is improving its training 
of these workers and has 400 trainers who will begin the 
training process as early as September 15.  In addition, the 
JCE has sent a proposal to the political parties for 
consideration that would change the way the votes are 
collected by establishing a computer scanning system to 
transmit the ballots electronically from each polling station 
to the relevant JCE district and national headquarters to 
allow for quicker election projections.  The previous process 
of laminating the ballots, copying them, and hand delivering 
them to the JCE will not be abandoned, but will require less 
resources; the new system is expected to cut down on the 
administrative cost of collecting the votes (i.e., less 
expenses on vehicles, staff, fuel, etc.). 
 
Rising Numbers of Dominicans Voting Overseas 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  The JCE also discussed the organization of overseas 
voting in next year's elections, including the expansion of 
voting opportunities for Dominican expatriates in the U.S. 
Rosario said that roughly 42,000 Dominicans voted overseas in 
the 2004 elections, primarily in the U.S., and confirmed that 
as many as 81,000 have already been registered to vote 
abroad.  He estimated that the total number of voters 
overseas could approximate 120,000 by the voter registration 
deadline, which is the 16th of December, a full six months 
prior to election day.  Lantigua pointed to the expansion of 
voting opportunities in multiple U.S. states as well as in 
other countries, including Panama and Costa Rica.  Dominicans 
abroad will be required to appear physically at voting 
stations being established by the JCE in collaboration with 
its diplomatic missions.  Rosario noted that the Dominican 
Republic's election day is a national holiday and lamented 
the fact that it will be a working day in the U.S.  Rosario 
verbally asked that the State Department assist in 
facilitating the ability of Dominicans residing in the U.S. 
to be enabled to cast their votes without employer 
interference, but did not provide specifics. 
 
Documenting Dominicans and Reducing Identity Fraud 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5.  Rosario made a special effort to elaborate on the JCE's 
efforts to modernize the documents of its citizens and the 
verification of personal information.  He said photo and 
fingerprint identification is being implemented throughout 
the country in an effort to bolster the accuracy of the JCE's 
documentation.  He also elaborated on the JCE's plan to 
create a comprehensive web-based database that could be 
shared with diplomatic missions, at nominal administrative 
cost, to reduce identity fraud in the acquisition of 
passports and visas.  To support the JCE's efforts, Rosario 
asked the Charge for assistance in providing training 
seminars to JCE staff in document fraud detection.  The 
Charge requested a formal proposal outlining the scope and 
 
cost of such assistance, but assured Rosario that the 
proposal would be considered favorably, noting previous USG 
assistance to the JCE (Note: The Consular Section's Fraud 
Prevention Unit currently interacts with the JCE on 
fraud-related matters and has coordinated limited training 
sessions over the past year. End Note). 
 
¶6.  Responding to a question from the Charge concerning the 
high number of undocumented individuals, particularly in 
rural areas, Rosario revealed that the JCE, with financing 
from the World Bank, plans to operate 15 to 30 mobile 
identification and registration vehicles.  The mobile 
registration stations would go into rural and urban areas, 
especially in poor neighborhoods, and investigate cases of 
undocumented citizens.  Rosario cautiously estimated that 
once the mobile stations are operational the JCE should be 
able to resolve its undocumented problem within three years. 
 
¶7.  Comment:  Although the subject was not raised during the 
courtesy call, the main opposition Dominican Revolutionary 
Party (PRD) formally requested election observers from the 
OAS last week.  The PRD is cocerned that, despite the 
current JCE being one ofthe best in recent history, the 
ruling PLD will ttempt some form of electoral fraud. The OAS 
hasresponded, regarding concerns about electoral frau, that 
it does not believe that a serious threat of fraud exists. 
Post discussed the possibility of providing funding to the 
OAS for international bservers, as was done for the 2006 
elections, bu determined that such a step is not necessary 
ths year since the Dominican Republic has advanced 
sufficiently in its ability to organize and administer 
elections.  Domestic observers led by civil society are, with 
USG assistance, playing a strong role in overseeing campaigns 
and the electoral process. (Note: Aside from the 
determination that it is unnecessary, no USG democracy and 
governance funding is presently available to support election 
observers. End Note.)  JCE officials did not comment to us on 
the infighting within the institution which has received 
press coverage recently.  Embassy will follow up and report 
Septel. 
BULLEN