VZCZCXRO4303
PP RUEHDBU RUEHPW
DE RUEHBUL #0998 1101509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 201509Z APR 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY KABUL
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8541
INFO RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS KABUL 000998 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV AF
SUBJECT: REVVING UP FOR CANDIDATE REGISTRATION 
 
REF: A. KABUL 0976 
     ¶B. KABUL 0891 
     ¶C. KABUL 0922 
     ¶D. KABUL 0993 
 
¶1. (U) A week before the candidate registration period begins 
on April 25, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) on 
April 18 held a press conference to provide information to 
the public and interested presidential and provincial council 
candidates on how to register.  The IEC also kicked off its 
voter education campaign for the candidate registration 
process.  The IEC reaffirmed to the media that it is rolling 
out preparations for the election; estimating 29,000 polling 
stations will be set up within the approximately 7,000 
polling centers around the country.  On the same day, 
President Karzai signed a decree supporting the establishment 
of the Electoral Complaints Commission, which will play a key 
role in determining candidate qualifications.  Karzai has not 
yet signed the draft decree on prohibiting official 
interference in elections (ref a). 
 
HOW-TOS FOR CANDIDATES 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) At the press conference, the IEC highlighted the 
candidate registration process (ref b), emphasizing the 
requirement to present proof of voter registration for the 
signatories supporting candidacy ) 10,000 are required for 
presidential candidates, 200 for provincial council 
candidates.  Other key issues included campaign finance, 
including the requirement that each candidate designate a 
financial agent (ref c), and the prohibition against any 
candidate using government resources, including (but not 
limited to) government offices, buildings and transportation. 
 The IEC also stressed that per article 62 of the Afghan 
Constitution, a presidential candidate "should not have 
citizenship of another country."  The IEC requires that 
candidates with dual citizenship complete the process of 
relinquishing any non-Afghan citizenship prior to registering 
as a candidate.  The IEC will require proof of loss of 
nationality. 
 
INFORMING THE PUBLIC 
-------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U) On April 18, the IEC started a national public 
information campaign on the candidate registration period. 
Television spots airing on 10 stations around the country are 
designed to educate voters and candidates until the May 8 
close of the registration period.  Informational spots are 
playing six times per day on thirty radio stations through 
the same period.  Three mobile phone companies sent over 1.8 
million SMS messages in Dari and Pashtu between April 18 to 
¶20.  The message on Emboff's own mobile informs the recipient 
that, "Candidates for the office of the presidency and 
provincial council have from the 5th - 18th of Sawour (April 
25-May 8) to put their names forward."  The IEC's information 
call center is currently operating between 8:00AM and 8:00PM 
with four operators per shift; any interested party can place 
a free call to ask about the electoral process.  Starting 
April 24, the call center will increase hours of operation to 
6:00AM - 12:00AM with 10 operators per shift to handle the 
extra hours and expected increase in the number of calls. 
The IEC is also publishing fact sheets on the technical 
details of the candidate registration process.  These fact 
sheets will be available on the IEC website and in hard copy 
at IEC offices around the country. 
 
TYING UP A LOOSE END ON CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Also on April 18, President Karzai signed a 
presidential decree supporting the requirement of the 
Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC).  Because the ECC 
formed on April 4 (ref d), the decree has little practical 
effect, but lends further political legitimacy to the ECC and 
eliminates possible political quibbles that the Commission 
was not properly formed and therefore not set up to carry out 
its mandate in examining candidate qualifications and 
adjudicating challenges.  The decree concurs with the 
composition of the ECC as detailed in Article 53 of the 
electoral law and stresses the importance of the ECC as an 
independent safeguard of the election process.  It also 
supports the ECC mission of impartially adjudicating 
complaints and preventing fraud. 
RICCIARDONE