Haiti vote ends peacefully

Port-au-Prince: Polling stations have closed in Haiti after high turnout and without major incidents, raising hopes for stabilisation in the desperately poor country gripped by a long-running political crisis.

Haiti's 5.8 million voters were asked to cast their votes for the first round of presidential elections, the second round of legislative voting and polls for local officials.

Despite delays caused by logistical challenges, voters yesterday waited calmly under sunny skies to cast their ballots.

After bloody clashes during first-round legislative polls in August, authorities took precautions with a major deployment of security forces in and around polling stations.

Results of the elections are not expected to be released before early November.