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DE RUEHAH #0928/01 2080947
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 270947Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3192
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
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RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3747

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000928 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/CEN; DRL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM PGOV PHUM SOCI TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: GENGESH ELECTION DAY VISIT TO 
POLLING STATIONS 
 
REF: ASHGABAT 926 
 
¶1. Sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle accordingly. 
Not for Internet distribution. 
 
¶2. (SBU)  SUMMARY.  Gengesh (local council) elections in 
Turkmenistan's villages and rural areas took place on July 
¶26.  A visit to three polling stations in villages outside of 
Ashgabat indicated that, while voting was well organized and 
orderly, there did not appear to be the level of voter 
interest that would produce the announced 95.7 percent 
turnout.  Two of the villages, the birthplaces of 
Turkmenistan's two independence era presidents, boasted some 
impressive public works projects.  Perhaps the significance 
for voters of this grassroots level of government will rise 
if and when the councils are given a more meaningful role in 
local governance.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶3. (SBU) During the July 26 gengesh (local council) 
elections, poloff, accompanied by officials from the Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs and the Central Election Commission, 
visited three polling stations in rural Ruhabat District 
adjacent to Ashgabat.  The first polling station was in 
President Berdimuhamedov's home village, Babarap, located 18 
miles from Ashgabat, just off the main highway leading to 
Turkmenbashy.  Upon leaving the highway, the road passes 
under a newly-constructed, massive entry arch, ornamented 
with statues of important figures from Turkmen history and 
dwarfing nearby homes.  The polling station was located in 
the foyer of the village high school, which opened in 
January.  According to the polling station's chairperson, the 
multi-story white marble building is fully equipped for 
students, including computers and sports facilities.  Upon 
arrival, poloff and his government escorts were greeted by 
three young women presenting trays of cookies and sweets in a 
traditional welcome ceremony.  One of the half dozen elders 
seated near the entrance offered prayers.  Music was playing 
loudly in the courtyard in front of the school and a display 
of snacks and drinks was offered for sale. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Within the Babarap polling station itself, there 
were no voters during poloff's visit, which took place around 
ten o'clock in the morning.  The polls opened at seven 
o'clock and would close at seven that evening.  A running 
count of the number of voters would be calculated every two 
hours during the day.  As of nine o'clock, 30 percent of the 
1,961 voters had cast their votes.  It was explained that 
early turnout was heavy as people showed up early to vote 
before heading off to work in their fields.  During poloff's 
20 minute visit, only one voter showed up.  The first voter 
of the day had received a small prize, and all first time 
voters and elderly voters received gifts.  There were three 
election observers seated at a table watching the 
proceedings.  They were representatives of the Democratic 
Party and social organizations such as the Youth Union and 
Labor Union.  They operated on a roving basis, visiting 
numerous polling stations during the day.  They signed in 
upon arrival on a form that included space to make remarks 
and note violations, but that part of the form was blank. 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Babarap polling station handled the voting for 
five electoral districts.  In each electoral district, for 
which the number of voters did not exceed 400, there were two 
candidates.  The Babarap gengesh would have a total of eleven 
council members, five of whom would be elected at this 
polling station, and six more elected at a nearby polling 
station.  A candidate must be a resident of the electoral 
district where he or she is running, and each voter votes 
only for one of the candidates from his or her district. 
 
¶6. (SBU) The next polling station visited was located in a 
Soviet-era medical clinic located adjacent to the highway in 
Herrakala village.  Three electoral districts were covered by 
this polling station.  Of the 1,926 registered voters, 30 
 
ASHGABAT 00000928  002 OF 002 
 
 
percent had voted by nine o'clock.  There was one voter who 
cast his ballot while poloff was at the polling station.  No 
election observers were present.  Poloff was told that 
posters describing the candidates with biographical 
information, photos and a statement of their platforms had 
been removed prior to election day as these were considered 
campaign material.  Officials pointed out that, in any case, 
the voters would personally know the candidates, given the 
small size of the electoral districts.  As at the previous 
polling station, snacks were displayed for sale and music 
blared, but few people were hanging around. 
 
¶7. (SBU) The third polling station visited was in Kipchak, 
the birthplace of former President Niyazov.  This polling 
station was also located in a new white marble high school 
that opened in March.  It was one of three polling stations 
in the village, which combined would elect ten gengesh 
members.  This polling station covered four electoral 
districts with a total of eight candidates, two of whom were 
incumbents.  Of the 1,785 registered voters, 36 percent had 
voted by nine o'clock.  One election observer from the youth 
union was present, although five others had visited the 
polling station earlier in the day.  No violations had been 
observed.  Two nurses were also in attendance in case someone 
would need their services.  Several people voted during 
poloff's visit.  The high school was part of a recently 
completed complex of white marble buildings that included a 
bazaar, hotel, service center, and government offices. 
 
¶8. (SBU) COMMENT: On the day after the elections, state media 
reported that voter turnout was 95.7%.  However, during 
poloff's visits, there was nothing that indicated such a high 
level of voter interest.  According to government officials, 
the role of the gengesh is still under review and there is a 
desire to expand its authority (reftel).  Given the gengesh's 
grassroots nature, if this body was given some real power to 
impact peoples' lives, gengesh elections could become more 
than their current focus on form over substance.  END COMMENT. 
CURRAN