Gambia counts marble votes in 1st post-Jammeh election

By ABDOULIE JOHN and CARLEY PETESCH
Associated Press

BANJUL, Gambia (AP) — Election officials in the West African nation of Gambia have started counting marble votes after polls closed for the first presidential election in decades that does not include former dictator Yahya Jammeh as a candidate. The vote is being seen as a test of democracy in the West African country. Gambians came to vote in high numbers. Nearly 1 million registered voters were expected to drop marbles into one of six ballot bins, each adorned with the face and name of a candidate. They include incumbent President Adama Barrow, who defeated Jammeh in 2016.  Many Gambians are still not satisfied with the progress Barrow’s government has made in fighting poverty and corruption.