VOA标准英语2008年-Georgia's Presidential Election Closes, Shaakas

Voters in Georgia cast ballots¹ Saturday to determine whether former President Mikhail Saakashvili will return to office.

Early exit polls show that Mr. Saakashvili is poised² to win a narrow margin³. He needs to get 50 percent plus one extra vote to avoid a second round.

Mr. Saakashvili faced six challengers in the polls, which took place under heavy snowfall across the small republic south of the Russian border.

His closest rival, Levan Gachechiladze, backed by a coalition⁴ of nine opposition⁵ parties, is challenging the validity of the vote.

Mr. Saakashvili called early presidential elections to restore peace following a series of massive anti-government protests in the capital, Tbilisi, in November.

Ahead of the election, the opposition accused Mr. Saakashvili of planning to rig the outcome and threatened to protest the results.

He vowed⁶ that the election would be democratic and transparent⁷.

Hundreds of international observers are expected to play an important role in determining the legitimacy⁸ of today's vote.

Earlier Saturday, opposition leaders accused authorities of forcing citizens in some polling stations to vote for Mr. Saakashvili and other violations⁹.

Another candidate is Georgian media tycoon¹⁰ Badri Patarkatsishvili, who withdrew his candidacy last week, then reversed himself Thursday. He quit after several Georgian television stations aired a tape showing him offering $100 million to an Interior Ministry¹¹ official, in exchange for a ministry pledge not to use police force against opposition protesters.

Mr. Patarkatsishvili was a driving force in last November's protests.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.