UN: Afghan Election Decision a Matter of Hours

October 16, 2009 in Afghanistan, Elections, Political | No comments

A U.N. spokesman in Afghanistan told me today that “we have gone from a matter of days, to a matter of hours for an announcement regarding the Afghan election.”

http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-10-16-voa9.cfm

He said an Electoral Complaints Commission official told him they were in the process of finishing their examination of the most serious allegations of fraud in the presidential election.

The U.N. official said an announcement — either finalizing Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s win or declaring a second round of voting — should come late today or early Saturday.

Check out my story from yesterday for the background.

It is still unclear what the end result will be. But earlier today, The Washington Post reported that the ECC had reduced President Karzai’s portion of the vote to 47 percent, less than the 50 percent he needs to win outright.

U.N. officials have told me that if there is a runoff, it will happen soon to avoid the country’s harsh winter, which would make it difficult to transport the voting supplies and reach certain areas of the country. Plus, more uncertainty — whether in politics or security — is something that no one wants in Afghanistan right now.