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Implausibly high voter turnout in some polling stations raises
concerns - OSCE/ODIHR report
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/03/02/odihr-new/
19:43 - 02.03.13
OSCE/ODIHR has issued a post-election interim report on March 2 for
the February 19-26 period.
The OSCE/ODIHR will also issue a comprehensive final report, including
recommendations, approximately two months after the completion of the
electoral process.
On 25 February, the CEC announced the final election results with Mr.
Sargsyan as the elected president. The results protocol was signed by
all seven CEC members.
The report says an OSCE/ODIHR EOM analysis of final results as
published by the CEC shows a close correlation between the voter
turnout and the number of votes for the incumbent, with PECs with
above-average turnout also having a higher share of votes for Mr.
Sargsyan. Out of the 1,988 polling stations, 1,746 have 300 or more
registered voters. In 144 of those, voter turnout exceeded 80 per
cent, which seems implausibly high; the incumbent received above 80
per cent of the votes cast in 115 of these stations. In 198 out of the
303 stations where turnout was between 70 and 80 per cent, the
incumbent received more than 70 per cent of the votes. Among 249
stations where turnout was below 50 per cent, Mr. Sargsyan received
more than 50 per cent in 40, and Mr. Hovannisyan received more than 50
per cent in 155. The tendency of higher results for the incumbent
observed at the majority of stations with high turnout raises concerns
regarding the confidence over the integrity of the electoral process.
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM was informed by the CEC of 8 formal complaints
registered by election commissions on election day, and of over 80
registered after the election, mostly requesting recounts or
invalidation of a total of 140 PEC results. Requests for invalidation
of the results in 73 polling stations were considered inadmissible
because they had been filed after the legal deadline; for 47 of the
stations, they were rejected as unsubstantiated. Complaints on
election day cited grave irregularities such as ballot box stuffing,
multiple voting, voting by unauthorized persons, interference and
pressure by executive officials. All complaints filed by observers
were considered inadmissible as they have no right to file complaints
which do not concern direct hindrance of their rights as observers.
Complaints filed by candidate proxies were also considered
inadmissible on the grounds that they were not present in the polling
stations. The information on complaints provided by the CEC to the EOM
was at times conflicting and incomplete.
Some 40 cases of irregularities were registered by observers and
candidate proxies in PEC journals.
concerns - OSCE/ODIHR report
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/03/02/odihr-new/
19:43 - 02.03.13
OSCE/ODIHR has issued a post-election interim report on March 2 for
the February 19-26 period.
The OSCE/ODIHR will also issue a comprehensive final report, including
recommendations, approximately two months after the completion of the
electoral process.
On 25 February, the CEC announced the final election results with Mr.
Sargsyan as the elected president. The results protocol was signed by
all seven CEC members.
The report says an OSCE/ODIHR EOM analysis of final results as
published by the CEC shows a close correlation between the voter
turnout and the number of votes for the incumbent, with PECs with
above-average turnout also having a higher share of votes for Mr.
Sargsyan. Out of the 1,988 polling stations, 1,746 have 300 or more
registered voters. In 144 of those, voter turnout exceeded 80 per
cent, which seems implausibly high; the incumbent received above 80
per cent of the votes cast in 115 of these stations. In 198 out of the
303 stations where turnout was between 70 and 80 per cent, the
incumbent received more than 70 per cent of the votes. Among 249
stations where turnout was below 50 per cent, Mr. Sargsyan received
more than 50 per cent in 40, and Mr. Hovannisyan received more than 50
per cent in 155. The tendency of higher results for the incumbent
observed at the majority of stations with high turnout raises concerns
regarding the confidence over the integrity of the electoral process.
The OSCE/ODIHR EOM was informed by the CEC of 8 formal complaints
registered by election commissions on election day, and of over 80
registered after the election, mostly requesting recounts or
invalidation of a total of 140 PEC results. Requests for invalidation
of the results in 73 polling stations were considered inadmissible
because they had been filed after the legal deadline; for 47 of the
stations, they were rejected as unsubstantiated. Complaints on
election day cited grave irregularities such as ballot box stuffing,
multiple voting, voting by unauthorized persons, interference and
pressure by executive officials. All complaints filed by observers
were considered inadmissible as they have no right to file complaints
which do not concern direct hindrance of their rights as observers.
Complaints filed by candidate proxies were also considered
inadmissible on the grounds that they were not present in the polling
stations. The information on complaints provided by the CEC to the EOM
was at times conflicting and incomplete.
Some 40 cases of irregularities were registered by observers and
candidate proxies in PEC journals.