Afghan Count Reveals Kabul Indifference

[Eugene]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5295269,00.html

Afghan Count Reveals Kabul Indifference


Thursday September 22, 2005 3:01 PM

AP Photo XSD104

By STEVE GUTTERMAN

Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Nearly two-thirds of registered voters in
Kabul apparently stayed away from Afghanistan's landmark legislative
polls, an election official said Thursday as workers counted ballots
under the close watch of candidates' representatives.

The U.N.-Afghan chief electoral officer, Peter Erben, said early
reports from nearly all polling centers suggested nationwide turnout
averaged about 53 percent, with some 6.6 million voters casting
ballots in the country's first parliamentary elections in 36 years.

But turnout in Kabul appeared to have been about 36 percent, he said.

The drop in voter participation from the 70 percent recorded in last
fall's presidential election has tempered celebrations of Sunday's
vote as another big step to democracy.

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[tainowarrior]

1. so, who is winning this lackluster election? NT

[enigma000]

2. We will have to wait until next month n/t