Culled from BBC Online

Bells toll in Gambia election


Gambians are praying that polls pass peacefully

Reports from Gambia say voters are turning out in large numbers to cast
their ballots in presidential election, using a unique ballot bell system.
Candidates
President Yahya Jammeh - Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and
Construction
Ousainou Darboe - Three-party opposition alliance
Sherriff Mustapha Dibba - National Convention Party
Hamat Bah - National Reconstruction Party
Sidia Jatta - People's Democratic Organisation for Independence and
Socialism

The BBC's Mark Doyle says the atmosphere is so far peaceful despite a
vigorous campaign marred by violence that left at least one opposition
supporter dead.

He says the country is using a unique voting system in which each voter
drops a marble into a drum for their preferred candidate.

"The marble strikes a bell inside the drum to ensure multiple voting can be
detected", he said, adding that bicycles have also been banned from polling
stations to prevent confusion with the ballot bells.

Five candidates are contesting the elections which observers have described
as a test of President Yahya Jammeh's commitment to democratic reforms.

Closely run race

More than half a million voters are registered to vote in the election seen
as the closest run race in the country's history.



Violence has been a theme of the campaign

It sees the current president, the leader of a military coup in 1994, being
opposed by a civilian coalition opposed to any vestige of military rule.

The coalition is led by a lawyer, Ousainou Darboe, who is understood to pose
the main challenge.

Thursday's election is the first truly multi-party vote following the
lifting in July of a ban on political parties which Mr Jammeh imposed soon
after his coup.

On the eve of polling, the electoral commission accepted a demand that only
people who appear on the electoral roll will be entitled to vote.

Voters roll

Demands for a change in the regulations - which previously allowed voters to
only show their identity cards - had been made by the main opposition
coalition.

Sources close to President Jammeh said his governing party has taken issue
with the ruling, and still hopes to get it overturned.



Police say they will crush anyone disrupting election

Now according to out correspondent, it seems the electoral commission has
changed its mind creating some confusion in the process.

He says there are almost bound to be disputes as a result.

Reuters news agency says the police on Wednesday evening issued a statement
in which it made claims of a plot to disrupt the elections.

But, the statement went on: " The security forces are fully alert and will
swiftly crush any act that threatens the peace and stability of the Gambia".

Correspondents say that following the campaign violence, which also saw an
arson attack on the house of a ruling party MP, Gambians are praying that
election day in this normally sleepy holiday resort remains peaceful.


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