Slates Still Blank for Iraqi Voters

[papau]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraqelex19jan19.story
THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ
Slates Still Blank for Iraqi Voters
Amid jumble of similar pitches and anonymous contenders, citizens are likely to fall back on ethnic and religious affinities in selecting.
By Edmund Sanders
Times Staff Writer

January 19, 2005

BAGHDAD — Less than two weeks before the Jan. 30 vote, Iraqis' frustration is rising as they prepare for the most important election of their lives amid a climate of fear, insecurity and scant information.

There have been no public debates or voter fact booklets to help citizens wade through the 111 slates offering candidates for a transitional national assembly, which will write the country's constitution. Iraqis still don't know where they will vote, what the ballots will look like or, because of assassination fears, the names of 7,400 candidates.

"How can we vote for people when we don't even know their names yet?" asked Heider Khalid, 21, a mathematics student at Baghdad University. "This is such a critical vote. We don't know nearly enough." <snip>

<snip>
In the absence of facts or aggressive campaigning, electoral experts predict that Iraqis will have little choice but to revert to religious affiliation or ethnicity when making a decision. Shiite Muslims will vote for Shiites, Kurds for Kurds. Members of Islam's Sunni branch, if they vote at all, will seek out a Sunni slate.<snip>

[AllegroRondo]

1. They still havent had a census

so they don't even know who can vote or what representation each area should get.

[prayin4rain]

2. 7,400 canidates??? I don't think I am understanding what this means.

Can anybody help me out here? This is a flippin' farce.

[papau]

3. 7400 FOLKS - CURRENTLT MOSTLY IDENTIFIED BY A NUMBER!

and the names that are shown are folks no one has heard of.

None of the female folks show their name (they are killing named folks as we speak, so 7400 may be a bit high by 1/30)

no one knows any issues - where to vote - how to vote

there is no advertizing or political rallies

there are no cars allowed to move for next 2 weeks in certain areas.

they plan to announce polling places day before election - they do not say how they will announce.