Least Surprising Headline of the Day

Via the BBC:  Zimbabwe election was ‘huge farce’ – Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mr Tsvangirai spoke shortly after the monitors from the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) said the poll was "seriously compromised".

In a statement, the ZESN said that potential voters were turned away from 82% of polling stations in urban areas, where support for Mr Tsvangirai is strong.

In rural areas – seen as strongholds of President Mugabe – the percentage was 38%, the group added.

It said that a result about one million of the country’s about 6.4 million eligible voters were prevented from casting their ballots.

FILED UNDER: Africa, World Politics, ,
Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor of Political Science and a College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. Eric Florack says:

    hey, they gave gore creds for making that claim…
    Oh, wait…..

  2. C. Clavin says:

    Actually Florack…you seem to have a reading comprehension problem.
    This story appears to be more about voter supression…the go-to strategy for Republicans…who…with no new ideas or productive policies to attract voters…find they must rig the game to win.
    The idea of turning away almost 1/6 of the electorate is a Republican wet-dream.
    Whyt do Republicans hate democracy…and America…so much?

  3. Eric Florack says:

    uh huh.
    Black Panthers, anyone?
    Never mind, clavin, its above your ken.

  4. pylon says:

    LMFAO. Who exactly were the mighty Black Panthers (all two) suppressing at that single polling station?

    I’ll see your sad attempt and raise you a Florida voter purge.

  5. C. Clavin says:

    Black Panthers?
    If you are serious about that…then you need professional help because you have become completely untethered from reality.

  6. Tyrell says:

    Second least surprising headline of the day: “Obama Reveals More Spying”

  7. al-Ameda says:

    ACORN, I knew it!

  8. What in the bloody hell does this have to do with the Black Panthers and our own voting issues? Zimbabwe proves that if anything, our voting system is still arguably the best in the entire world.

  9. pylon says:

    @Christopher Bowen: I agree that this doesn’t have much to do with the US. But the best in the world? Well, next to those democracies with paper ballot backup and no dubious voting machine results.