Low turnout for Afghan elections

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Afghan voters trickled in to polling stations Thursday to take part in provincial and presidential elections, though some centers were closed due to violence.

More than 3,000 candidates contested for the 420 seats on the provincial councils, while around 40 contenders emerged to challenge incumbent President Hamid Karzai.

Voting ended officially at 4 p.m. local time, though various media outlets reported voting was extended in some of the more active districts.

Brig. Gen. Aziz Ahmad Wardak, the police chief in the southeastern province of Paktia, told the Pajhwok Afghan News agency voting was canceled in several districts as well as the provincial capital Gardez in order to protect election workers.

More than 300,000 Afghan and international forces fanned out over the country to maintain security amid a looming threat from Taliban insurgents. The vote went off with few reports of major violence. Turnout was low, however.

The vote Thursday was the second-ever presidential election in Afghanistan history, and the first conducted by Afghan election officials.

Several observers, as well as the candidates themselves, raised concerns over the legitimacy of the vote as accounts of vote-tampering emerged in the days leading up to the election.

"Bribery and use of government resources to secure the election of the incumbent has been the norm," said presidential candidate and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani.

Karzai is favored to win a second term, though the election could go to a runoff if he does not secure a clear majority. He faces a key challenge from his former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Ghani, a long shot, gained ground in recent days and is the favored candidate for constituents under the age of 30.