VZCZCXRO3649
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0891/01 0991106
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091106Z APR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8314
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KABUL 000891 
 
SIPDIS 
 
KABUL FOR COS USFOR-A 
STATE FOR SCA/FO, SCA/A, S/CRS 
STATE PASS TO USAIF FOR AID/ANE, AID/DCHA/DG 
NSC FOR JWOOD 
OSD FOR MCGRAW 
CG CJTF-101, POLAD, JICCENT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: REVIEWING THE CANDIDATE NOMINATION PROCESS 
 
REF: A. KABUL 307 
     ¶B. 2008 KABUL 3197 
 
KABUL 00000891  001.3 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  On April 25, the nomination period opens for 
Presidential and Provincial Council candidates (ref A).  All 
candidates for the August 2009 elections must register before 
the May 8 closure.  In preparation, the Independent Electoral 
Commission (IEC) has revealed its plans for implementing this 
phase of the electoral process.  Coordination on transporting 
of materials and security support is progressing between the 
IEC, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) and ISAF.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
PREPARING FOR CANDIDATE NOMINATIONS 
----------------------------------- 
¶2.  In the lead-up to the nomination period, materials and 
staff are flowing into the IEC's Kabul headquarters.  Over 
100 newly recruited IEC staff for both headquarters and the 
field will receive process and procedure training April 
11-13.  Employee training manuals on the registration process 
are printed and the IEC has preapproved symbols for use by 
registering candidates. Procurement of nomination materials 
and equipment from domestic sources continues with delivery 
scheduled April 10-15.  Although no delays are currently 
anticipated, the IEC reports that back-up options are in 
place should scheduled deliveries fail to materialize.  The 
IEC will have five days to consolidate the materials and 
prepare personnel for departure to the 34 provincial offices. 
 Each team will consist of three data entry clerks with three 
laptops, two printers, one scanner, two camera kits and a 
candidate registration box.  Based on population size and the 
expected number of registering candidates, Nangarhar and 
Herat will have two teams each; everywhere else will operate 
with one team per province. 
 
SECURITY COORDINATION 
--------------------- 
 
¶3.  On April 20, the candidate nomination teams are scheduled 
to begin deploying.  The IEC has provided a concept plan for 
movement and transportation to the Joint Security Planning 
Group (JSPG), the main security planning coordination 
mechanism.  Through the JSPG, overall responsibility for 
security of candidate nomination material delivery has been 
assigned to the Afghan National Police.  All ANSF and ISAF 
forces, with input from the IEC, are collaborating on support 
of the movements and filling gaps in ANP assets.  Teams and 
materials will travel to Kandahar, Balkh and Herat by air, 
with ground movement convoys handling transit to other 
provinces.  Consensus exists between the IEC, UNDP and 
stakeholders that the JSPG will finalize the transportation 
and security plan this week. 
THE NOMINATION PROCESS 
---------------------- 
 
¶4.  Presidential candidates must register in person at the 
IEC's Kabul headquarters.  To register, potential candidates 
must demonstrate eligibility for the office for which they 
are running and provide supporting documentation of the 
criteria established in the Constitution and Electoral law. 
Presidential candidates must be at least 40 years old and 
demonstrate that they are Muslim, Afghan citizens not holding 
dual nationality.  They cannot have convictions for crimes 
against humanity, criminal acts or deprivation of civil 
rights by a court.  In addition, they must demonstrate proof 
of voter registration, deposit 50,000 Afs (USD 1,050) and 
submit names, signatures (or thumbprints) and voter 
registration card numbers of 10,000 voters supporting their 
candidacy.  The deposit is refundable if a candidate receives 
at least 15% of the total valid votes.  The additional 
criteria suggested by IEC Chairman Dr. Ludin has not been 
implemented at this time nor is it expected prior to the 
start of the candidate registration process. 
¶5.  Provincial Council (PC) candidates must register in the 
province in which they are standing for office (ref B).  A PC 
candidate must be at least 18 years old and have held Afghan 
citizenship for a minimum of 10 years. They must deposit 
4,000 Afs (USD 85) and put forward names, signatures (or 
thumbprints) and voter registration card numbers of 200 
supporting voters resident in the province of candidacy.  The 
deposit is refundable if a candidate receives at least 2% of 
the total valid votes. 
AFTERMATH 
--------- 
 
¶6.  During the nomination process, data collected on 
 
KABUL 00000891  002 OF 002 
 
 
candidates will be transmitted electronically to the IEC's 
Kabul headquarters from the provincial offices.  Difficulties 
in the registration process should be promptly reported to 
the IEC's operations center.  Each Provincial Office will 
develop a schedule for the return of registration materials 
to Kabul in coordination with headquarters.  The data entry 
staff will remain with the material until it is retrieved, 
helping to ensure integrity of the materials.  Overall, the 
IEC's coordination with key partners appears to be creating 
an implementable Afghan-led process for candidate 
registration. 
RICCIARDONE