IVORY COAST: Turnout high for peaceful Presidential election

Record ID: 181719

  • Title: IVORY COAST: Turnout high for peaceful Presidential election
  • Date: 1st November 2010
  • Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 31, 2010) (REUTERS) MAN TURNING OVER BALLOT BOX, BULLETINS ON TABLE CANDIDATES REPRESENTATIVES LOOKING VARIOUS OF BALLOTS ON TABLE, CANDIDATES' REPRESENTATIVES OBSERVING COUNT COUNTED BALLOTS IN BALLOT BOX (SOUNDBITE) (French) YAYA BAMBA, HEAD OF POLLING STATION, SAYING: "There were 490 people on the list and at this moment in time 303 have voted, so that's a 70 percent turnout." WOMAN SHOWING VOTING BALLOTS VARIOUS OF CANDIDATES REPRESENTATIVES WATCHING MAN WRITING COUNT ON BLACKBOARD
  • Embargoed: 16th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAA32N3C43XCRABFMDLXFN1QJB7
  • Story Text: Polls close in Abidjan after millions of people turned up to vote in the historic elections meant to end crisis and pave way for reforms.
    The west African state of Ivory Coast voted peacefully on Sunday (October 31) in long-delayed elections aimed at reuniting a nation split in two by a civil war that has also shaken a once-healthy economy.
    Millions of people queued up since dawn to have their say in the leadership of their country.
    While some polling stations closed by 1700 GMT as scheduled, the electoral commission said many had opened two hours or more late due to logistical problems and so would be kept open longer to ensure a full 10 hours of voting.
    Incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo's main rivals are Henri Konan Bedie, a former president ousted in a 1999 coup, and Alassane Ouattara, a former prime minister and IMF official.
    "There were 490 people on the list and at this moment in time 303 have voted, so that's a 70 percent turnout," said Yaya Bamba, the head of a polling station in Abidjan.
    Long lines of voters spilled out onto streets from schools that are hosting polling booths.
    Electoral commission spokesman Bamba Yacouba told Reuters in the northern rebel-held town of Bouake that voter participation nationwide was estimated at between 60 and 70 percent.
    Electoral officials questioned during a tour of a dozen polling stations by Reuters in Abidjan said they saw turnout rates of 75 percent and higher.
    Preliminary results are due within three days.
    A 9,500-strong U.N. peacekeeping force, backed up by several hundred French soldiers, is on standby in case of any trouble.
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