Yemen: Neighborhood Security Informants Aid Voter Registration
Every village has a security informant, might as well give them a task. Also NDI discusses the military domicile issue.
NDI For male registrants who are unable to provide one of these four forms of identification, the election law stipulates that an
amin or aqel2 may testify to the registering voter’s identity and eligibility.2 The Amin or Aqel is a male dignitary who resides in each precinct and is normally associated with the security services, providing them with reports on major events in the neighborhood.
Registration of Ineligible Persons
As in 2002 and 2006, monitors observed significant numbers of underage children being registered to vote. Nearly 40 percent of field commissioners told monitors that they would register underage voters if directed by the amin/aqel (those persons responsible for attesting as to the eligibility of citizens who lacked identity documents). Monitors witnessed amins/aqels testifying that clearly underage voters were of-age to register, and in some instances observed amins/aqels accepting payment in exchange for their testimony. Monitors also observed other community leaders pressuring commissioners to register ineligible voters, including underage voters, voters without any identification and, in once instance, those without Yemeni citizenship.Role of the Security Committee and Military
Monitors reported witnessing security personnel in some areas interfering in the work of the registration committees. In some instances security personnel gave instructions to committee members on which voters to register and allowed registering voters to carry weapons into the registration centers. In addition, monitors reported seeing large numbers of military personnel bused to
registration centers, the majority of whom were changing their voting domicile. While the impact of high numbers of military registrations in select districts cannot be determined, the registrations could give the impression that military personnel are being used to influence voter demographics in specific constituencies and could be in violation of Article 4:f of the election law.
