US embassy cable - 05PORTAUPRINCE2809

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PORT AU PRINCE 002809 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/CAR 
DRL 
S/CRS 
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD 
STATE PASS AID FOR LAC/CAR 
INR/IAA (BEN-YEHUDA) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, KDEM, HA, Elections 
SUBJECT: HAITI ELECTIONS: VOTING CENTERS SELECTED, ID 
DISBRIBUTION COMING 
 
 
1. Summary: The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP)  on 
November 8 approved a MINUSTAH-prepared list of 809 voting 
centers, opening the way for ID card distribution to begin. 
The OAS plans to start distributing ID cards November 15 
throughout Haiti.  Peak capacity at the ID card printing 
facility in Mexico is only 350,000 cards per week, meaning 
that 3.25 million cards out of a total of 3.40-3.45 million 
could be in Haiti for the December 18 first round, the 
remaining 150,000 - 200,000 would not arrive until December 
18-20.  This unexpected delay is a cautionary note in a 
process where the electoral calendar has been so compressed 
as to leave no margin for error.  The OAS has placed plans to 
reopen registration in some rural areas on hold until after 
the first round, but will ensure that remaining rural voters 
are registered in time to participate in local elections. 
End Summary. 
 
2. According to the OAS, the CEP-approved list of 809 centers 
included some large voting centers in Port-au-Prince that 
will accommodate as many as 16,000 voters.  While the list 
treats each voting center as a single entity, larger sites 
will consist of several buildings in a single area.  MINUSTAH 
elections officials hope that use of separate facilities will 
prevent confusion, ease tension, and decrease the likelihood 
of violence. 
 
OAS and MINUSTAH Disagree on Card Distribution 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
3. With the voting centers approved, OAS elections chief 
Elizabeth Spehar plans to begin widespread ID card 
distribution November 15.  OAS departmental coordinators and 
registration coordinators met November 11 in Port-au-Prince 
to finalize OAS and CEP card distribution procedures, confirm 
the list of voting centers, and assign voters to their 
respective voting centers.  The OAS has already received 
roughly 1.6 million cards that correspond to seven of Haiti's 
ten departments and has shipped roughly half them to the 
field for distribution. 
 
3.25 Million IDs Expected for First Round 
----------------------------------------- 
 
4. Spehar complained that though Digimarc, the ID card 
printing company, has a contract that clearly stipulates 
producing 500,000 cards per week, it can only print 350,000 
per week, even with three shifts.  The only way that Digimarc 
could increase its capacity to 500,000 per week would be to 
use its second identical facility, which is currently 
printing Mexican IDs.  The OAS is considering legal action 
against Digimarc, but given the late date does not know if it 
would make a difference in ID delivery.  At its current pace, 
Digimarc estimates it will deliver 3.25 million cards by 
December 12, which would leave sufficient time to distribute 
them by the first round.  The remaining 150,000-250,000 
voters would have to use their registration receipts or other 
forms of ID to vote.  Digimarc expects to finish all of the 
ID cards by December 18-20. 
 
Registration to Reopen in Some Rural Areas 
------------------------------------------ 
 
5. Spehar said OAS plans to reopen registration in rural 
areas are on hold but remain critical to minimizing 
post-election complaints.  The OAS originally planned to 
reopen registration in rural areas November 9-16 to ensure 
that the roughly 85,000 voters in 20 communal sections all 
have a chance to register.  However, it halted the effort 
because opening registration again now would jeopardize the 
OAS' ability to produce complete voter lists in time for the 
December 18 first round.  Instead, Spehar advocated running a 
national election, which would leave off both affected deputy 
seats and the voters in question, and combining the missing 
deputy races with the runoff or the local election. 
 
6. Comment: CEP acceptance of the voting center list clears a 
key bottleneck; MINUSTAH can now finalize its operational 
plans and the OAS can distribute cards throughout Haiti. 
Failure of the Digimarc to meets its contractual obligations 
is disappointing as it will increase confusion at voting 
centers, and possibly give opportunities to critics of the 
elections.  It is also a cautionary note for the selection of 
dates for the election.  The current proposals for completing 
elections by February 7 leave no margin for error or delay in 
a country rife with unanticipated impediments.  The OAS 
should proceed with its final voter registration push.  The 
still unregistered rural voters, though few, represent 
approximately 2.5 percent of the electorate.  The number of 
first-round candidates in many national races make it 
possible that victors and/or runners up could be decided by 
only a few percent.  The OAS should strive to avoid a 
situation in which losers, especially at the presidential and 
senatorial level, could claim incomplete registration was 
responsible for their loss. 
GRIFFITHS