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Afghanistan Elections 2009
20 October 2009
Statement by the Prime Minister of Canada
9 September 2009
Statement by Canada’s Ambassador to Afghanistan on Afghan Election
Available in Dari and Pashto
Canada's Ambassador to Afghanistan William Crosbie visits a polling station in Kabul on August 20
A female election worker at a polling centre in Kandahar City.
(© AK: GC)
Voting ballots used in the 2009 Presidential and Provincial Council elections.
UNAMA News
On August 20, 2009, millions of Afghans, men and women alike, went to the polls to elect their President and Provincial Council representatives. While the first round of elections was not without controversy, it is important to remember how far Afghanistan has come since the fall of the Taliban regime.
These elections, the second set of democratic elections the country has seen since the fall of the Taliban in 2002, are a historic undertaking. They reinforce Afghanistan’s ongoing democratic transition - giving the people of Afghanistan influence over decisions that affect their lives.
As part of its six priorities, Canada is helping to advance Afghanistan’s capacity for democratic governance by contributing to effective, accountable public institutions and electoral processes. Canada supports Afghan-led efforts to hold elections that are perceived as credible by Afghans.
Canada continues to lend its support as Afghans proceed into the second round of elections on November 7, 2009. This is an important step in the country’s ongoing transition to democracy.
Canada’s Programming
For the first time since the fall of the Taliban, Afghans led their own electoral process through the Afghan Independent Election Commission with the support of the international community. Canada’s contribution of up to $35M by 2011 makes Canada a leading participant within a coordinated multi-donor effort led by the United Nations Assistance Mission to Afghanistan (UNAMA). Individual Canadians have also been playing a prominent role in observing and adjudicating the elections process.
Canada contributes a large portion of its funding towards the United Nations Development Programme Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow (UNDP-ELECT), who is supporting Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission. By working directly with the Independent Election Commission (IEC) of Afghanistan, UNDP-ELECT offers the main vehicle through which Canada supports the core mechanisms of these elections such as voter registration, recruitment and training of election officials, production and transportation of election materials and verification of results, while respecting Afghan ownership over the electoral process. The programme also assists the creation of key bodies such as Electoral Complaints and Media Commissions. In partnership with others, UNDP-ELECT also supports complementary programming on voter education and outreach as well as police training.
As part of a $35 million contribution for the 2009-2010 elections in Afghanistan, Canada worked with Afghan and international partners to address the particular needs of women voters in Afghanistan, including gender sensitive voter outreach and adequate security at voter registration centres. Specific programming includes:
- $25 million over three years to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) “Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity (ELECT)” project.
- Support to the Asia Foundation ($2 million) to promote civic education activities in southern Afghanistan. A component of the project focused on customized civic education to reach women and increase their awareness about democracy, civil rights, and the importance of political participation for women.
- An additional $2.2 million supports the UNIFEM Women as Decision Makers project to promote the full involvement and equal participation of women in all aspects of the electoral process.
- Support to the National Democratic Institute (NDI) ($800,000) aimed at improving the participation of women in the 2009 provincial council elections through a seven-month training program that enhances the capacity of women candidates so they could effectively compete in the 2009 provincial council elections and fulfill their mandates.
Voter Registration
An update to Afghanistan's voter registry was conducted in four phases in all provinces across the country between October 2008 and February 2009.
Despite challenges, according to the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC), as of March 2009, more than 4 million Afghans registered, of which more than 38% are female registrants. Almost 550,000 Afghans registered in the south, of which more than 300,000 are in Kandahar alone.
These registrants join the approximately 12 million registrants already in the existing national voter registry (2005), although some overlap may occur for individuals with lost registration cards, who have reached the legal age to vote, etc.
Candidate Registration
As part of Canada’s fifth priority to help strengthen and promote democratic development and national institutions in Afghanistan, one of Canada’s targets for 2011 is the establishment of an Independent Electoral Complaints Commission. This target was achieved by the establishment of the ECC through UNDP ELECT, supported in part by Canada.
44 Presidential Candidates registered with the IEC, including two women. One candidate dropped out of the race and, as per its mandate, following the vetting process and the ECC’s recommendations, the IEC excluded 2 candidates.
3324 Provincial Council candidates registered with the IEC, including 342 women. 90 candidates dropped out of the race and, as per its mandate, following the vetting process and the ECC’s recommendations, the IEC excluded 54 candidates.
flickr Photo Galleries
- Afghan Elections 2009 (Kabul)
- Afghan Elections 2009 (Kandahar City)
- National Institutions in Afghanistan
Elections Timeline*
Election Day was preceded by important dates and deadlines that, all together, constituted the Electoral Calendar. The Calendar clearly shows all appointed dates of the elections.
25 April - 8 May
Nomination of candidates
Presidential candidates nominate themselves at the headquarters of the Independent Election Commission, while Provincial Council candidates are nominate themselves in the IEC provincial offices.
16 - 21 May
Display of preliminary candidate list
A preliminary list of candidates is displayed at all offices of the Independent Election Commission.
16 May - 8 June
ECC hearings and decisions
Registered voters may challenge the eligibility of candidates with the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC). The ECC adjudicates challenges and responses, and relays its feedback to the Independent Election Commission.
12 June
Publication of final list of candidates
The Independent Election Commission displays the final list of candidates.
16 June - 18 August
Political campaign period
Candidates mount their official campaigns prior to polling day. Campaigning concludes 48 hours prior to August 20, polling day.
20 August
Polling day
Voters go to the polls in approximately 27,000 polling stations around the country. Domestic and international observer groups observe polling and counting. Political rights monitoring is conducted jointly by the UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission. After polling closes, ballots are counted and the Independent Election Commission announces preliminary results. After adjudication of complaints, the Commission announces the final results.
If no presidential candidate receives 50% +1 of votes cast, a presidential run-off is held between the two candidates who receive the highest number of votes.
20 October
Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission releases official certified results of the Presidential election. The IEC announces President Hamid Karzai will face his rival Abdullah Abdullah in a second round after the U.N.-backed election watchdog tossed out hundreds of thousands of votes.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon pledges the full support of the UN to ensure that Afghanistan’s presidential election run-off is as credible as possible and welcomed President Hamid Karzai’s acceptance of a second round of voting.
Prime Minister Harper acknowledges the final results released by the IEC and is encouraged that both candidates recognize the need for a run-off in the best interests of Afghan democracy.
22 October 2009
Afghan Ministers of Defense, Interior announce preparations for holding run-off election. Run-off electoral materials to be brought to all 34 provinces across the country.
7 November
Date of Presidential run-off
Incumbent President Karzai will face his rival Abdullah Abdullah in a second round run-off.
Electoral Safeguards
A number of safeguards were in place to protect the integrity of the 2009 elections, to help level the playing field for those who competed for office and increase public confidence in the elections. These safeguards included:
- The Independent Election Commission (IEC)
- The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has the authority and responsibility to administrate and supervise all kind of elections; as well as refer to general public opinion of the people, in accordance the provision of the law.
- Trained candidate agents in eachpolling location
- Domestic and international observation
- The Media Commission
- The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC)
- The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) is the independent body established under Afghan law to adjudicate all challenges and complaints related the electoral process. The ECC can only hear complaints related to violations of the election law, and it has the authority to impose sanctions if an offense has been deemed to have been committed.
- Political rights monitoring by the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
- Media monitoring and training for journalists
- Training for police on electoral security provision
- Integrated operations and security planning
- Periods of heightened political activities such as elections are at high risk for political violence. The Afghan National Security Forces played a major role in meeting this challenge. For instance, the Afghan National Police (ANP) both ensured electoral security and maintenance of public order and upheld the basic rights necessary for a free election. This amounted to a considerable task which drew on the majority of their officers: securing polling centres; protecting election staff, voters and observers; safeguarding the storage and transportation of sensitive materials.
Promoting credible elections
On May 2nd, President Karzai issued a Decree on Non-interference of State Officials in the Electoral Process, with a view to preventing the interference of government authorities in the Presidential and Provincial Council elections.
On May 3rd, UN Special Representative Kai Eide issued a set of guidelines for the conduct cover the conduct of voters, candidates and their supporters, electoral officials, the media, and the international community during the electoral period. The guidelines are derived from existing Afghan legislation and codes of conduct, as well as international best practices during the electoral period.
Links
Afghan Institutions
Afghan Independent Electoral Commission
Afghan Electoral Complaint Commission
Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC)
Afghan Ministry of Justice
International Institutions
United Nations Development Program – UNDP ELECT
http://www.afghanelections.org/
United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan – UNAMA
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)
The Asia Foundation
http://www.asiafoundation.org/country/overview/afghanistan
