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Early Results Suggest Election Win for Gambian President


Election officials in the West African nation of Gambia say early vote results show President Yahya Jammeh is on track to win a third term in office.

Authorities Saturday said that more than half of the polling stations had submitted their results from Friday's vote. A final tally was expected later in the day.

President Jammeh has said he expects a landslide victory. His two opponents are long-time rival Oussainou Darboe, from the United Democratic Party, and former civil servant Halifa Sallah, from the National Alliance for Democracy and Development.

Election observers said balloting was peaceful. Voting was extended at some polling stations because of delays caused by heavy rains.

Opposition leaders have accused President Jammeh of controlling media coverage and state resources during the campaign. The press freedom group, Reporters Without Borders, accused the government of threatening and intimidating journalists.

Some 670,000 people were eligible to vote by dropping a marble into a metal barrel marked with their candidate's color. The method, used for decades, is meant to make voting easier for those who are illiterate.

President Jammeh has ruled Gambia since taking power in a military coup in 1994.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

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