VZCZCXRO0542
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHYE #0216/01 0851218
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261218Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8866
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORPORATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0693

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 YEREVAN 000216 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM AM
SUBJECT: A DETAILED GUIDE TO YEREVAN'S MAY 31 MUNICIPAL ELECTION 
MECHANICS 
 
YEREVAN 00000216  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
----------------------------- 
YEREVAN CITY COUNCIL ELECTION 
----------------------------- 
¶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). 
 
----------------------- 
YEREVAN MAYOR'S ELECTION 
------------------------ 
¶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. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
TO-DOs FOR PARTIES AND BLOCS CONTESTING THE ELECTION 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶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. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
ELECTION PREPARATION AT ELECTION COMMISSIONS 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶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. 
 
YEREVAN 00000216  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
 
------ 
VOTERS 
------ 
 
¶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 
 
------------------------ 
SUMMATION OF RESULTS 
------------------------ 
 
¶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. 
 
-------------------- 
ELECTION OBSERVATION 
-------------------- 
 
¶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