After nine years of waiting, the Lebanese parliamentary election finally took place today. Lebanese people were eagerly waiting for the election to practice their civil right and duty to put Lebanon on the right track. What’s disappointing is that a lot of violations occurred in polling stations. A lot of fights happened in front of these stations, and some people were seen bribing voters. Also, people were seen accompanying voters and checking who they are voting to. Some outlets violated the electoral media blackout reported on campaigns during Election Day. The Ministry of Interior and Municipalities just released a report that indicates the voter turnout at 6:00 PM. Note that the ballots closed at 7:00 PM. The voting turnout on a national level is 46.88% which is disappointing since Lebanese people have been complaining about change for almost a decade. The lowest turnouts stand at 31.50% in Beirut I and 37.15% in Beirut II. The highest turnouts stand at 66.43% in Saida and 63.31% in Bekaa II. The voter turnout significantly increased in all regions between 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM. Although voting ended at 7:00 PM, voters inside the polling stations were allowed to cast their ballots. Even though the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities promised to
facilitate the voting process for disabled and old people
, they still faced difficulties. Vote counting already started in many polling stations across the country. Other stations are still open.
