11% of Acehnese fail to vote

BANDA ACEH, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam: Only 11 percent of the 2,205,078 registered voters in restive Aceh, or 290,512 people, were unable to exercise their right to vote in the July 5 presidential election.

According to the Aceh General Elections Commission (Aceh KPUD), the voters were unable to cast ballots for various reasons, including boycotts.

Authorities deployed around 12,000 police and soldiers to secure polling stations in the province, expecting the Free Aceh Movement to try and intimidate voters.

Amien Rais and Siswono Yudohusodo of the National Mandate Party (PAN) banner led the provisional tally as of Monday with 1,195,823 votes. -- Antara