Opposition ahead in East Timor election count

Early results from East Timor's presidential polls on Sunday showed the opposition Fretilin party's Francisco "Lu Olo" Guterres had surged ahead with incumbent Jose Ramos-Horta lagging in third.

A tally broadcast live by the country's electoral commission on state radio and television put Guterres ahead with 28 percent of the 429,106 votes counted so far -- or over two-thirds of the total votes cast.

Former guerrilla leader Taur Matan Ruak was in second place with 25 percent of the vote, while Nobel Prize-winning incumbent Ramos-Horta, who is seeking another five-year term, was in third place with 18 percent.

In the 2007 presidential elections Ramos-Horta had turned his fortunes around after lagging behind Guterres in the first round but winning through in a run-off with 69 percent of the vote.

Guterres was "happy with the result" so far, his campaign media spokesman Jose Teixeira told AFP, but said the low voter turnout might have affected his overall vote.

"His campaign team is already working on a strategy for the run-off round, which he is confident he will win," Teixeira said.

Observers doubt whether any of the 12 candidates would land the knock-out blow needed to avoid a run-off. A second round of voting would be held in mid-April if none of the candidates garner more than 50 percent of the vote constitutionally required for an outright win.

Votes from Saturday's polls were being counted by hand, some in remote areas with poor communications, and results were not due until later in the week, according to election officials.

National election commission president Faustino Cardoso Gomes told a press conference there were "some irregularities" during the election process.

"Some polling stations ran out of ballot papers, for instance in Dili and some other places, but all have been resolved," he said.

Thomas Cabral, head of elections secretariat overseeing the polls, said heavy rains during the elections had affected voter turnout and the transport of ballot papers in some cities.

Around the country, Timorese people had their eyes glued to their television sets, watching the changing figures.

Whether they were shopkeepers selling traditional handicrafts in Dili's Tias market, candidates' spokesmen mingling with journalists, or people sitting in the lobby coffee shop of Hotel Timor, the talk was about who would emerge top.

The vote is the first in a series of key events in the poor and chronically unstable country still traumatised by Indonesia's brutal 24-year occupation, which ended with a vote for independence in 1999.

In May, East Timor will celebrate 10 years of independence, which came after three years of UN administration. Then, in June, voters will choose a new government in a general election.

At the end of the year the nation of 1.1 million people bids goodbye to UN forces stationed in the country since 1999.

Saturday's voting was remarkably organised for the poor and chronically unstable country, and the peaceful polling stood in stark contrast to the deadly 2006 pre-election violence, taking East Timor to the brink of civil war.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ramos-horta-among-front-runners-east-timor-vote-044537097.html

drop dead gorgeous ticket city bowl 2011 nfl playoff schedule cowboys vs giants dallas cowboys ndaa timberwolves