Counting has begun in Haiti after the country's delayed presidential run-off vote yesterday.
Haitians are voting to elect a president for their earthquake-scarred country, choosing between a singer and a former first lady in a run-off called generally peaceful by officials and observers.
After polls closed last night in the Caribbean state, one of the world's poorest, election officers began counting votes, in many cases by lamplight as much of the capital Port-au-Prince, and much of the whole nation, has no electricity. Preliminary results are not officially due to be announced until the end of the month.
Haiti's top electoral officer, Gaillot Dorsinvil, hailed what he called a large voter turnout in the first presidential run-off in the volatile country, where elections have often been marred by fraud and violence.
The close race presented Haiti's 4.7 million voters with a choice between a political newcomer, extrovert entertainer and singer Michel Martelly (50) and former first lady Mirlande Manigat (70), a law professor and opposition matriarch. Recent opinion polls showed Mr Martelly ahead of Ms Manigat.
Police and local officials said two people were killed in electoral violence, one in the central Artibonite region and one at Mare Rouge in the northwest. Police had earlier reported two deaths in Artibonite but later revised the figure to one.
UN peacekeepers intervened in scattered incidents, firing in the air in one place to separate fighting rival supporters.
But, despite delays caused by initially missing electoral materials, especially at polling stations in the capital Port-au-Prince, international observers said voting seemed to have gone much more smoothly than the chaotic first round on November 28th, which dissolved into fraud allegations and unrest.
"It was generally peaceful and calm, although we had isolated incidents," Sylvie van den Wildenberg, spokesperson for the UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti (said.
"So far, it's encouraging," she added, noting that no immediate fraud claims or protests followed the day of voting. The streets of the capital Port-au-Prince appeared quiet.
International donors hope the run-off vote can elect a capable, legitimate leadership to steer a post-quake reconstruction that requires billions of dollars of aid.
Reuters