
President Hamid Karzai has won the majority of votes in the October 9 election, results posted Sunday on the election commission8217;s website show, effectively securing his position as Afghanistan8217;s first popularly elected president.
Karzai, who had been widely expected to win, received more than 4.2 million votes8212;more than half of the estimated ballots cast.
Under the election rules, any of the 18 candidates must receive 50 per cent plus one vote to win, avoiding the necessity of a runoff. The presidential term is five years.
The official, final tally is not due until October 30.
Results posted on the Internet by the Joint Electoral Management Board, showed Karzai with 94 per cent of votes counted on Sunday evening. He had 55.3 per cent of the vote. His nearest rival, the former education minister, Muhammad Yunus Qanooni, had 16.2 per cent. 8212;NYT