[ Afghan Elections 2004-2005 ]

Ray Kennedy, deputy chairman of the UN-Afghan Joint Electoral Management Body (JEMB), said in Kabul on 26 October that irregularities in the election should not overturn the victory by Afghan Transitional Administration Chairman Hamid Karzai, AP reported. According to Kennedy some of the ballot "boxes were so obviously stuffed that" the JEMB did not believe "they were legitimately cast votes," but even if all of the questionable ballots were voided it would not push Karzai to a level below 50 percent of votes, which would force a runoff. JEMB officials are predicting that the UN panel of experts established to investigate the complaints of irregularities in the electoral process will submit its final report by 31 October, clearing the way for Karzai's victory (see "RFE/RL Afghanistan Report," 25 October 2004). According to JEMB, on 26 October, with 98.4 percent of the votes counted, Karzai was first with 55.5 percent of the vote while his closed rival, Mohammad Yunos Qanuni, stood second with 16.2 percent of the votes http://www.afg-electionresults.org/. (Amin Tarzi)