Residents in Benghazi, the city where the Libyan uprising began, have voted in historic local elections. More than 400 people contested seats on the 44-member local council, even though the remit of local authorities has yet to be set. This was the first time such elections have been held in the city since the 1960s and turnout was high. National elections are expected to be held in June. Until then, the mandate of local councils will remain unclear.
The BBC’s Rana Jawad in Libya says people in Benghazi were excited and motivated to be taking part in a political process. Social networking sites were awash with pictures of people showing their inked fingers to prove they voted and some polling stations had to stay open for an extra hour to meet demand. Results of the election are due on Monday.
Full Article: BBC News – Libyan voters head to the polls in Benghazi local elections.