While the midterms are behind us, an election is looming in Sudan. Sudanese voters won’t be electing congressional representatives, but will instead be casting their ballots to determine whether or not the country will be split into two nations.Voter registration has already begun, with individuals waiting in line outside one of the 2,630 registration centers in Southern Sudan to ensure that they will be able to participate in the referendum. In Northern Sudan, registration has begun at 165 centers, but turnout appears to be lower than in the south. Voter registration ends on December 1, and so far the effort has only received minor complaints--generally about long lines and paperwork.
The referendum is a component of the 2005 peace agreement that halted civil war in the country, and there are still challenges before the election; the north-south border has not yet been decided (mostly due to the location of oil fields), and general preparations for the election are behind schedule.
Nevertheless, many Sudanese are compelled to vote for many of the same reasons we are, such as interest in the welfare of their children and for a chance to be heard: "I came to register to determine the fate of South Sudan," said one voter,
Voting is scheduled to begin on January 9 of next year.
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2 comments:
The government has extended voter registration an extra week, until December 8th: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-26/sudan-extends-registration-by-a-week-for-southern-sudan-independence-vote.html
Voters can also register in cities across the United States: http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2010/12/dallas_is_one_of_five_us_citie.php
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