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. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>> To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html <<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>//\\<<//\\>>