VOTING PROCEDURE IN THE GJINOKASTER AREA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A002601020008-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2002
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: October 30, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Approved For Release 2002/07/22 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA002601020008-2
FAA
/&9 a
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
COUNTRY Albania
25X1 C
Voting Froced3reia the
ajinokaster Area
This Document contains Information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections "3 and 141, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its trinemission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form Is prohibited.
REPORT NO.
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES 2
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY, SEE REVERSE)
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25X1X
30 October 1953
Is All the people who were over the age of eighteen, both men and women, including
those who had been deprived of their party cards, were eligible to vote. Before
voting each one had to get a letter from the village council which stated his
name, age, and eligibility to vote. All members of the village were forced to vote.
2. During the last election in 1952,: two ballot boxes were net up in the elementary
school in the. village of Glins The ballot boxes were painted a dark brown color
and one' was. decorated with. pictures of Enver Hosha, Stalin,.and the candidate of
the looal,. C, t Party; this bal lot ba, was _ also decorated with flags, The other
we was cal ,ed' the black ballot boot .end, was not decorated, but it was plaeed' near
the Party "lot boxe
3. Prior`'tof voting the individual took 'the certificate which he hed'received from the
village douncilto a committee which 4" In the room with the ballot boxes, He
than, hand the` certificate to the committee who checked to see if he was registered.
rythinj was in order the committee 'gave him a black ball about the sire 'of an
olive the individual was to close his hand Enid, pus in front of the ballot boxes
dropping the biell in the box which he desired. The individual was required to
place hi.. h, d' on both boxes regardless` of which one he intended to drop the ball in.
All rters 1.s4.,been informed that it wasi ;better to prefer the ballot box of the
Government ai her than that of the 'Fuoiitse, After the individual had passed the
ballot bones, he walked with his he=rd open past the committes'po,that. they could see
that he had toted.
4.
dr
During the election of'November 1952 no one voted against the party, but in the
election of 1948 fifty people voted in the black ballot box. As a result of the
negative votes in 19116, high Communist personalities came from Tirana and the
District Headquarters at Gjinokaster, and gave the people a lecture in regard to
voting for the'Fascists. In the oou'se of the lecture they recalled all the damage
that the Fascists had done to the village during the war, as well as the many
SECRET
(NoNi 1Vahlnoten Distribution Indlsute yr "X"1 Field D$Nrlbollon By
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5a.
crimes which they claimed were committed by the Balli Kombetar in 1944. They further
stated that they were going, to investigate those votes and take severe action against
all those who voted for the Fascists.
After the 1948 elections the next were held in 1950, and again a few people voted
against the party. In order to prevent this, the com ittee, whenever they suspected
a person was,, going to vote' the black ballot box, would tell him to wait outside for
While becatse?something was wrong with the ballot boxes. After about five minutes,
the person would be called in and permitted to vote. The voters suspected that it
would be known if they voted in the wrong ballot Lcx and. as a result there were only
ten negative votes in the 1950 elections.
SECRET
Approved For Release 2002/07/22 : CIA-RDP80-0081OA002601020008-2