Cablegate: November 23 State and Local Elections: By The

VZCZCXRO3765
PP RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHCV #1595 3231509
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181509Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY CARACAS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2156
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHWH/WESTERN HEMISPHERIC AFFAIRS DIPL POSTS PRIORITY

UNCLAS CARACAS 001595

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

HQ SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD
DEPT PASS TO AID/OTI (RPORTER)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KDEM PGOV VE
SUBJECT: NOVEMBER 23 STATE AND LOCAL ELECTIONS: BY THE
NUMBERS

(SBU) The following statistics provide background information
regarding Venezuela's November 23 state and local elections:

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ELECTION DAY
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Polls Open: 7:00am
Polls Close: 4:30pm
Polling Places: 11,297
Electronic Voting Machines: 34,662
Digital Fingerprint Scanning Machines: 11,624
States that will Deploy Digital Fingerprint Scanning
Machines: 8
Polling Places that will be Equipped with Digital Fingerprint
Scanning Machines: 3,658
Poll Workers Required on Election Day: 101,397
Registered Voters: 16,945,061
Registered Voters Living Abroad, Ineligible to Vote in State
and Local Elections: 57,256
Eligible Voters: 16,887,805
New Registrations Since 2007 Constitutional Reform
Referendum: 738,021
Percent of New Registrations Ages 18-22: 77%
Gubernatorial Races: 22
Mayoral Races: 328
State Legislature Seats to be Filled: 233
Caracas Municipal Council Member Races: 13
Alto Apure Municipal Council Member Races: 7
Total Positions to be Filled: 603
Candidates Officially Running for Office: 8,294
PSUV Governors: 19
Podemos Governors (formerly pro-government): 2
Opposition Governors: 2
PSUV Governors Running for Re-Election: 4
Podemos Governors Running for Re-Election: 0
Opposition Governors Running for Re-Election: 1
Percent of Population with PSUV Governors: 76%
Percent of Population with Podemos Governors: 10%
Percent of Population with Opposition Governors: 15%
Days Before Elections in Which Polls May Not be Made Public: 7
Hours Before Elections in Which Alcohol May Not be Sold: 48

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VOTER TRENDS
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Percent of "No" Votes for 2007 Constitutional Reform
Referendum: 51%
Percent of Votes Chavez Won in 2006 Presidential Race: 62%
Percent of Votes Chavez Won in 2004 Recall Referendum: 59%
Rate of Abstention in 2007 Constitutionl Reform Referendum:
44%
Rate of Abstention in 2006 Presidential Race: 25%
Rate of Abstention in 2005 Parlimentary Elections (boycotted
by Opposition): 75%
Rate of Abstention in 2004 State and Local Elections: 55%
Rate of Abstention in 2004 Recall Referendum: 30%
Rate of Abstention in 1999 Constitutional Referendum: 55%
National Elections Chavismo Has Won: 11
National Elections Chavez Has Lost: 1
Percent of Population that Self-Identifies as Opposition: 19%
(according to September Datanalisis poll)
Percent of Population that Self-Identifies as Independent, Ni
Ni: 43% (according to September Datanalisis poll)
Percent of Population that Self-Identifies as Pro-Government:
30% (according to September Datanalisis poll)

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ELECTION MONITORING
-------------------
Political Party Witnesses Needed to Adequately Safeguard
Voting Process: 119,697
CNE Invited National Election Observers: 2,060
CNE Invited International Election Observers: 130
International Observation Missions that will Issue Formal
Reports: 0
Venezuelan Civil Society Groups Accredited to Observe
Elections: 4
Embassy Personnel Involved in Informal Election Observation:
40
Independent Audits of Voter Rolls: 0

CAULFIELD

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