26815: Durban (comment): Election Results - Straw Poll (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Lance Durban <lpdurban@yahoo.com>

For those wondering how the Haitian presidential campaigns are doing, a
straw vote held yesterday at the Manutech electronics plant in
Port-au-Prince.  The company's monthly newsletter in creole included a
biographical sketch of the 34 presidential candidates (name, party
affiliation, background) which had been posted on Corbett #26509 by Max
Blanchet about 3 weeks ago.

Printed ballots were distributed with the newsletter to the 322
employees at work yesterday (another 50+ were absent or on lay-off and
did not participate).  Ballots included all 34 names in alphabetical
order and employees were instructed to check their preferred candidate
and PERSONALLY place the ballot in a sealed box located in front of the
production manager's office.  Administrative personnel opened the box
and counted the ballots at end of the day.

And the results were...
         212  Rene Preval
          26  Chavanne Jeune
           3  Charles Henry Baker
           2  Lesly Manigat
           2  Luc Mesadieu
           2  Evans Paul
           2  Guy Philippe
           1  Marc Louis Bazin
           1  Marc Antoine Destin
           1  Himmler Rebu
           1  Poisset Romain
           1  Judy C. Roy
          25  ballots returned with no box checked
          43  ballots not returned

The employee breakdown of those present (and thus receiving ballots)
was 271 direct labor (hourly workers) and 51 indirect labor (monthly
salaries).  Monthly salaried people include engineers, technicians,
admin personnel, stockkeepers, security and plant maintenance staff,
etc.  It is worth pointing out that while these employees come from all
over the Port-au-Prince area, relatively few come from Cite Soleil.
They are full-time employees of a functioning company and all have
relatively good job security.

Now then, my own personal feeling is that the majority are turned off
by loud and persistent attacks on Lavalas which some of candidates seem
to feel will help them get elected.  (Sorry, Paul Denis).  Similarly,
there doesn't seem to be a strong interest in seeing the return of the
Haitian Army, in fact most of our employees would be quite happy to see
the U.N. stay on in Haiti indefinitely.  The fact that 21% of the
ballots either weren't returned or were cast with NO box checked might
indicate that the employees don't think it makes a difference who is
elected... or it may mean minds have not been made up... or it may
indicate a general apathy about the whole political process.

Surprisingly, none of the candidates have given much specifics on what
they would do if elected.  Of course, there is still a full month to go
before the elections, but if this straw poll means anything, a second
round might not even be necessary.

L. Durban