Unrest to follow Afghan vote?

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- Western and international observers spread out in Afghanistan in preparation for national elections Aug. 20 in what is expected to be a tumultuous contest.

Afghans head to the polls in less than three weeks to cast their ballots in their second-ever democratic election to pick their next president and provincial council leaders.

Donkey teams are fanning out into the Afghan countryside to distribute thousands of paper ballots, while international troops rush to protect the country's 7,000 polling places from insurgent attacks.

Several of the 17 million registered Afghan voters may be unable to take part in the elections, however, because as many as 700 polling centers could be closed because of lingering violence, London's Guardian newspaper reports.

There are more than 40 names up for consideration for the presidential poll. Afghan President Hamid Karzai leads the pack over his closest rivals, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani.

Most observers say it is unlikely any one candidate will emerge with the 51 percent of the vote needed to avert a runoff. That could happen by Oct. 1, with the next Afghan president seated by as late as November.

But regardless of who takes power later this year, the Guardian adds, it is likely disenfranchised Afghan voters may file charges of fraud, making civil unrest a potential outcome.