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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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4

Karzai Widens Lead in New Poll Returns

He's up 45% to 35%, but only 17% of votes have been counted

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(AP) – President Hamid Karzai extended his lead over his top challenger in Afghanistan's presidential election, but he remained short of the 50% threshold that would allow him to avoid a two-man runoff. With only 17% of the vote counted, Karzai has 44.8%, while Abdullah Abdullah has 35.1%. The count is proceeding slowly, and final certified results may not be ready until mid-September, after dozens of complaints of fraud have been investigated.

An Afghan boy walks past destructions caused by Tuesday's explosion in the city of Kandahar province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009.
An Afghan boy walks past destructions caused by Tuesday's explosion in the city of Kandahar province, south of Kabul, Afghanistan, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009.   (Allauddin Khan)
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah meets with the media in Kabul on Saturday Aug. 22, 2009.
Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah meets with the media in Kabul on Saturday Aug. 22, 2009.   (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)
Afghan incumbent President Hamid Karzai holds up his finger, inked purple after casting his election ballot, as he meets with the press in Kabul Aug. 20.
Afghan incumbent President Hamid Karzai holds up his finger, inked purple after casting his election ballot, as he meets with the press in Kabul Aug. 20.   (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
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4 comments
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sully4411
Aug 26, 09 1:56 PM CDT
what an absurd way to run an election.. i guess its better than not. Reply
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justme
Aug 26, 09 6:20 PM CDT
Not exactly computerized results. Hand counting every ballot and lots of opportunity for fraud but better than being run by religious zealots with guns. Reply
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+1
Reader60610265
Aug 26, 09 8:13 PM CDT
Look at it this way . A war torn countries people even at great risk to themselves still went to the polls to vote . Even if it is rigged to a point . How many people in this country would have been so eager to do the same thing ? We're lucky to get a40% turn out at our elections ,and it's a piece of cake to vote hear . Reply
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Shannonals
Aug 26, 09 9:36 PM CDT
At least it isn't like the Iraq election where a winner was announced shortly after the polls closed. Reply
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