2007年VOA标准英语-High Turnout as Senegal Votes for a President

By Naomi Schwarz
Dakar
25 February 2007

 
Finished ballots¹ are deposited in boxes around the country
Turnout was high and waits were long as Senegalese took to the polls for its presidential election, in which incumbent² Abdoulaye Wade³ is trying to get a first round win with over 50 percent of the vote, while 14 challengers are trying to force a run-off. Naomi Schwarz reports from Dakar.

Supporters thronged⁴ Mr. Wade at midday as he voted in the presidential elections, chanting his nickname "Gorgui."

Mr. Wade said he was confident of a first round victory.

 
President Wade leaves the polling station
"I am very optimistic," he said. "Before coming here, I called all my representatives of the party in each department of Senegal and they are very, very confident and there is very big mobilization for Wade."

Senegalese activist⁵ Alioune Tine, whose human-rights organization is monitoring polling stations said that he also was impressed with the high turnout.

"I think it is historical. Because since the independence of Senegal, we have not seen such a mobilization here in this country," he said.

But he said that in some places there had been serious delays getting polling stations open.

A main opposition⁶ candidate, Idrissa Seck, said after voting that democracy has been hurt under the current administration.

He cites problems like delayed distribution of voter cards, as well as intimidation⁷ of opposition leaders and journalists. Seck, a former protégé of Mr. Wade, was jailed last year as part of a corruption⁸ probe.

The campaign of another major opposition candidate, Ousmane Tanor Dieng, from the former ruling Socialist⁹ Party said it had credible¹⁰ information of what it called a planned strategy of fraud. It said several-hundred Socialist Party supporters had been denied voting cards.

The problem of voting cards was also discussed in the capital Dakar, like at this polling station in the Fann neighborhood.

Demba Kanté, who was monitoring the vote as a representative from one of the opposition parties, said many people had still not received their card in time to vote.

"I myself have received my card only this Sunday past. That was a way of discouraging people. If you come and they tell you to come another week, so and so and so. Two months after, you will be discouraged," he said.

First-time voter Mamadou Ndiaye did get his card in time, but had to wait several hours to vote.

While he waited, other would-be voters argued over the system of voting, which confused many. It consisted of selecting one of the 15 colored slips for each candidate.

But Ndiaye said he was excited for his chance to participate in the democratic process.

"I think that it is very good today [Sunday], because I see that all the population is here for doing [their] right, to choose the president," he said. "I think that today [Sunday] all the world will see that Senegal is a country of peace."

Senegal is considered by many to be a model democracy in West Africa. Mr. Wade is the third president since independence.

If no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote, there is a second round scheduled on March 11 for the top two finishers.

1 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 incumbent   

adj.成为责任的，有义务的；现任的，在职的

参考例句：

• He defeated the incumbent governor by a large plurality.他以压倒多数票击败了现任州长。
• It is incumbent upon you to warn them.你有责任警告他们。

3 wade   

v.跋涉，涉水；n.跋涉

参考例句：

• We had to wade through the river to the opposite bank.我们只好涉水过河到对岸。
• We cannot but wade across the river.我们只好趟水过去。

4 thronged   

v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Mourners thronged to the funeral. 吊唁者蜂拥着前来参加葬礼。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The department store was thronged with people. 百货商店挤满了人。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

5 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

6 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

7 intimidation   

n.恐吓，威胁

参考例句：

• The Opposition alleged voter intimidation by the army.反对党声称投票者受到军方的恐吓。
• The gang silenced witnesses by intimidation.恶帮用恐吓的手段使得证人不敢说话。

8 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

9 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

10 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？