Home  News Live results from Tayyar.org (non official) |
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Live results from Tayyar.org (non official) |
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Written by Administrator
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Non official results livefrom: http://results.tayyar.org/
THE PRIMARY AND UNOFFICIAL RESULTS SEEM TO BE IN FAVOR OF THE CURRENT PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITY (MARCH 14) 53% of Eligible Voters Cast Ballots in Crucial Parliamentary Elections
Polls closed at 7:00 pm Sunday with an estimated voter turnout of more than 50% as counting started in the high-stakes parliamentary election.
Interior Minister Ziad Baroud announced in a press conference that preliminary rate showed 52.35% of voter turnout, a 20% rise from the 2005 elections.
"The 2005 election reached 45.8 percent," Baroud said.
The highest turnout was in Kesrouan district at 70%. Turnout was at 65% in Metn and Jbeil, 60% in Batroun and 63% in Akkar, Baroud said.
"Electoral machines are expected to issue preliminary results after midnight or early morning hours," he added.
The vote that started at 7:00 am took place amid heavy security measures with the army and police deployed in force throughout the country to prevent any outbreak of violence.
President Michel Suleiman cast his vote in Amsheet at around 8:25 am.
"I call on all citizens to exercise their democratic role quietly and happily," he said. "The president backs all candidates…we have to preserve democracy."
A steady stream of vehicles headed south, north or east from Beirut on highways to outlying parts of the country early Sunday morning, carrying voters to hometowns. Some vehicles had flags of political groups fluttering to show loyalty.
More than 200 international observers from the European Union, the Carter Center and other institutions and countries oversaw the election.
Speaking at a polling station in Ashrafiyeh, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter expressed hope the U.S., Iran and other countries "will accept the results of the election and not try to interfere in the process."
There were widespread complaints about delays in the process, forcing voters to stand in lines. Baroud asked people to be patient.
He said he was satisfied with the way polling had proceeded but would be even happier if all political parties accepted the outcome once it is announced.
"Grosso modo I am satisfied with the way the vote took place," he said. "But I will be more satisfied if everything goes well once the results are in.
"The election was a challenge that many doubted would take place. But Lebanon's political factions and the Lebanese met the challenge."
The Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections, which had 2,200 observers monitoring the vote, said there were no flagrant violations.
The race for a majority appears too close to call. In the outgoing parliament, the pro-Western bloc had 70 seats and Hizbullah's alliance had 58.
There are some 3.2 million eligible voters out of a population of 4 million. They voted for 125 candidates after 3 contenders have won the elections uncontested.
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