Senegal voted in a tightly contested presidential race after months of unrest

By JESSICA DONATI, BABACAR DIONE and JACK THOMPSON
Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Senegalese have voted in a tightly contested presidential race following months of uncertainty and unrest that have tested the West African nation’s reputation as a stable democracy in a coup-prone region. Observers say turnout appeared high on Sunday morning. The election comes after President Macky Sall unsuccessfully tried to postpone the Feb. 25 vote until the end of the year. Sall is barred from seeking a third term. The process has been marred by unrest and hundreds of opposition protesters have been jailed. In the run-up to the vote, opposition leader Ousmane Sonko was released from prison but he was barred from running due to a prior conviction for defamation. He has backed his key ally Bassirou Diomaye Faye.