AFP | Link to story  »

"'(The ECC is) not as transparent as it used to be,' said Andy Campbell, country head for the Washington-based National Democratic Institute.

"'I think every observer who has been involved in the process is justifiably concerned... that the impartiality and independence of the ECC may be trusted.'"

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LA Times | Link to story  »

"Meanwhile, reports from election observers who visited polling places around the country depicted a flawed voting process rife with intimidation not only by the Taliban, but also by warlords and other armed factions.

The Vancouver Sun | Link to story  »

"Afghans have learned some hard lessons about how to run an election fairly, Grant Kippen concluded after this weekend's national vote to select a new parliament...

McClatchy | Link to story  »

"Afghanistan's traditional male-dominated culture prohibits women from leaving their walled homes to shop &madash; let alone work or run for public office — unless they're accompanied by close male relatives and wearing burqas.

Wired.com | Danger Room | Link to story  »

"Meet Afghanistan Election Data, a web-based compendium of security incidents, patterns of previous electoral fraud and demographic stats from across Afghanistan. The National Democratic Institute, an international democracy-promotion offshoot of the Democratic Party (though, like its International Republican Institute counterpart, are less partisan than you'd think), put the website together.

New York Times | Link to story  »

"Afghanistan's parliamentary elections on Saturday could determine whether a viable opposition remains in the legislature, but turnout — and the legitimacy of the second election in a year — hangs in the balance as voters fear waning security and brace for fraud...