Despite Warnings Of Violence From The Taliban, Afghans Vote Massively In Historic Election

Afghanistan Defies Taliban Threats To Vote In Historic Polls -- Time

Despite warnings of violence by the Taliban, Afghans turned out in large numbers to vote in Saturday's presidential election. About 12 million Afghans are eligible to vote in the election where eight candidates are running

Afghans braved security threats and inclement weather on Saturday to vote for their next president. Despite persistent intimidation and attacks by the Taliban in the weeks ahead of the April 5 polls, voter turnout was expected be high in what many hope will be the war-torn nation’s first peaceful and democratic transition of power since 2001.

President Hamid Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since 2001 and is constitutionally barred from running again, cast his vote for his successor in the morning. Eight candidates are vying to take his place; the three frontrunners are Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah, and Zalmai Rassoul. In such a wide field, the likelihood that one candidate will get the votes needed to win outright is slim. A runoff vote between the top candidates is widely expected, meaning that Afghanistan may not get its next government in place until the summer.

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More News On Afghanistan's Election

Afghanistan votes in historic presidential election -- BBC
Afghanistan runs out of ballot papers as election turnout surprises -- Reuters
Polls close in Afghan election after heavy turnout for crucial vote -- Globe and Mail/AP
Afghan presidential polls close -- Al Jazeera
Afghan voters defy Taliban, cast their ballots for a new president, regional councils -- Washington Post
Afghanistan Votes in Presidential Election -- WSJ
Afghans vote for new president despite threat of Taliban violence -- CNN
Afghans Ignore Threats, Turn Out for Polls -- Voice of America
High turnout in Afghanistan as voters defy Taliban threats -- Euronews
Elections mark new chapter in Afghan history -- Deutsche Welle
Afghans defy threats of violence and flock to polling stations to elect new president -- Daily Mail
Afghans defy threat of violence to vote in first democratic transition of power -- FOX News
War-weary Afghanistan chooses new president as uncertainty looms -- RT

WNU Editor: The final results will not be known until mid-May.