US embassy cable - 04CARACAS3361

C O N F I D E N T I A L  CARACAS 003361 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR CBARTON 
HQSOUTHCOM FOR POLAD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/22/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, KDEM, VE 
SUBJECT: VENEZUELA'S REGIONAL VOTE:  PROCESS BODES 
BEWILDERMENT 
 
Classified By: POLITICAL COUNSELOR ABELARDO A. ARIAS FOR 1.4 (D) 
 
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Summary 
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1.  (C)  The voting process for Venezuela's October 31 
regional elections is complicated.  In a process akin to the 
recall referendum, voters will elect governors, mayors, and 
state legislators.  Screens will have dozens of options, 
which are organized by political parties rather than by 
races.  The press has reported that the public did not take 
advantage of an opportunity to practice voting, and little 
personal attention will be available on election day, 
according to a CNE official.  End summary. 
 
2.  (U)  Venezuelan voters who go to the polls on October 31 
will face an overly complicated process.  Voters must first 
present their identification card for identification in the 
electoral rolls.  Poll workers then will take their 
fingerprints next to a video monitor that continuously 
explains the voting process.  Next, CNE representatives will 
again explain the voting process and activate the voting 
machines.  After choosing from a veritable alphabet soup of 
candidates and parties, the electors will receive and deposit 
a physical ballot verifying their vote.  After dipping their 
fingers in indelible ink, the voters may leave the polling 
place. 
 
3.  (U)  From 8,509 candidates, Venezuelan voters will elect 
22 governors, 336 mayors, and 229 state legislators.  Each 
voter will have to choose at least four candidates, including 
a governor (except in the Federal District, whose chief 
executive is called "mayor," and in Amazonas State), a 
municipal mayor, and state legislators.   Some of legislators 
are "list deputies," meaning electors will select parties, 
which will receive portions of legislative seats roughly 
equal to their proportion of votes.  Voters will also choose 
"nominal deputies" individually. 
 
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Ballots and Screens 
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4.  (U)  Rather than organizing the voters' options by each 
race, each district's electronic ballot will display numerous 
logos of political parties and independent candidates.  In 
Anzoategui state, for example, the ballot for governor and 
state legislators in one electoral district, or 
"circunscripcion," has 62 logos.  Once voters press to choose 
a logo from the electronic ballot, candidates appear on their 
computer screen for selection.  Voters choose a chief 
executive, a "party list," and a number of "nominal" 
legislative candidates for their district.  (Smaller 
districts only have one "nominal" candidate.)  Many parties 
do not have candidates for all the positions, so some voters 
will have to search for different logos before concluding 
their vote.  After completing this process, voters proceed to 
another electronic ballot to select a mayor for their 
municipality.  This ballot also displays myriad parties, many 
of which endorse the same candidate. 
 
5.  (U)  Candidates who have withdrawn from the race will 
still appear on the screens.  If the candidate withdrew 
before the October 21 deadline, the candidate's votes will go 
to a candidate he or she designates.  If the candidate 
dropped out afterwards, votes for him or her will not count. 
According to CNE director Jorge Rodriguez, 194 candidates 
have dropped out of the race nationwide. 
 
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Inadequate Voter Assistance 
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6.  (U)  The CNE sponsored a mock election October 10 to 
acquaint the public with the process, but few participated, 
according to press.  TV and radio have also had regular 
government-sponsored "cadenas" to explain the procedures. 
Despite the planned presence of explanatory videos at the 
polls, a CNE official in Anzoategui State told poloff that 
little personal attention would be available on election day. 
 The CNE has chosen local electoral officials by lot, and, 
according to the local official, many of those drafted have 
 
 
not responded.  Press reports add that in some states, few 
poll workers have appeared for training. 
 
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Comment 
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7.  (C)  The voting process is slightly less complicated than 
programming a VCR, yet national CNE officials insist that it 
will work with minimal difficulties.  The staid CNE education 
campaign, concentrated in the use of ubiquitous "cadenas" 
which occupy the airwaves regularly at least three times a 
day, has become a droning noise that attracts little 
interest. 
Brownfield 
 
 
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      2004CARACA03361 - CONFIDENTIAL