Evo Morales

Exit polls taken in Bolivia indicate supporters of President Evo Morales have won about half of the seats on the special national assembly to rewrite Bolivia's constitution.

According to several polls released late Sunday, the President's Movement Toward Socialism will control between 125 and 134 seats in the 255-member assembly, but the party fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to have a free hand in amending the constitution.

In the other national issue on the ballot - a referendum that would grant Bolivia's states greater autonomy from the national government - the polls indicate the measure failed in five of the nine states. The national vote tally on the referendum is not yet known.

President Morales opposed the autonomy referendum which was supported by leaders in the oil and gas-rich state of Santa Cruz. They said the measure would ensure revenue from local businesses would not be spent elsewhere.