Polls close in first Gambian presidential election since former dictator's exile

Gambian election
(Image credit: GUY PETERSON/AFP)

Voters in the small African nation of Gambia cast votes Saturday to elect a new president, and vote counting is currently underway, Reuters reports. Results are expected by Sunday.

Gambians cast their votes by placing marbles into drums. Each drum is marked with a different candidate's picture. This system makes it possible for even illiterate Gambians to vote. According to data from the World Bank, Gambia's literacy rate in 2015 was just over 50 percent.

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Grayson Quay

Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-GazetteModern AgeThe American ConservativeThe Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.