Polls close in second round of presidential election

Just got back from voting. There were a few people at the polling station, however, what I found interesting was that I didn't see any observers.

I was the only voter in the building when I went out earlier today. Its obvious that voting participation is a lot less than the general election.
Two reasons in my opinion - many people don't see that there is much of a choice between the two candidates, people are tired and dissatisfied with Tadic and are unconvinced by Nikolic.
Secondly, people were turned off by the voting fraud allegations and its implications that there is no point in voting.

Hard to say, but in theory Nikolic's voters should be more motivated to vote, harvesting the anti government vote so a lower turnout should benefit Nikolic. On the other hand maybe people just won't bother voting across the board, because they are fed up.

Pretty much correct in what you post, bganon, interesting that so many readers disagree with you.

Winston, indeed, I bet that the multiple voting troll responsible was one of those complaining about electoral fraud as well. I bet whilst he was at it, the irony was completely lost on him.

I didn't see any observers either Zoran, although there are a lot of observers about - so says the media and organisations responsible. However, I did see party activists hanging about who are sure to cry foul if anything suspicious goes on. Having said that they took their sweet time to cry foul last time round.

First results suggest that Nikolic is in the lead of around 2%.

God help us if Tadic wins, we will have accusations of electoral fraud all over again!

Yes Amer, the villages generally do tend to come sooner. However, Kosovo comes in last (in any case turnout there was low and Nikolic won't need those votes).

Don't know about Chicago though, the diaspora tend to vote in less numbers than those in Serbia, as you know.

So congratulations are in order Zoran, your candidate won! BTW did you notice the guy standing behind Vucic, as Vucic announced that Nikolic had won? The very same man who starred in the youtube film of electoral shenanigans in Zajecar.

"First results suggest that Nikolic is in the lead of around 2%.

(bganon, 20 May 2012 20:46) "

Is there any predictable pattern to how the votes come in? I mean, do the villages (where you'd expect Nikolic to do well) generally get counted and reported earlier than Belgrade because they're smaller and it takes less time? And when can we expect the vote from Chicago, the second-largest Serb city in the world? Can you imagine a vote so close the country would be hanging on the 57 votes from New York? (I'm an American, I've seen some strange voting days.)

Well Zoran my vote was only really a message to SNS to say that trying to cheat / manipulate their way to victory was a no-no. Not that it made any difference.

I really hope that cynical purveyors of realpolitik in Serbia haven't learned a lesson that accusing opponents of stealing votes at the ballot box is a legitimate way to win elections.

People were fed up with Tadic, its that simple. And in a way its not a bad thing, because it shows that Serbian people are pretty normal like any other - there is no such thing as somebody or some party that will be elected over and over again.

So congratulations are in order Zoran, your candidate won! BTW did you notice the guy standing behind Vucic, as Vucic announced that Nikolic had won? The very same man who starred in the youtube film of electoral shenanigans in Zajecar.
(bganon, 20 May 2012 21:58)
--
Let me just say that my vote simply canceled out your vote. We both had a null vote in my mind. I neither voted Tadic or Nikolic but since you mentioned you weren't going to vote but for some reason changed your mind, I would just cancelled that out.

As we'll see within the next couple of years, Nikolic is going to do a great disservice to Serbia and those that had hope in him. The grapevine is quite small in Serbia but that is not going to change the cycle.

I was the only voter in the building when I went out earlier today. Its obvious that voting participation is a lot less than the general election.
Two reasons in my opinion - many people don't see that there is much of a choice between the two candidates, people are tired and dissatisfied with Tadic and are unconvinced by Nikolic.
Secondly, people were turned off by the voting fraud allegations and its implications that there is no point in voting.

Hard to say, but in theory Nikolic's voters should be more motivated to vote, harvesting the anti government vote so a lower turnout should benefit Nikolic. On the other hand maybe people just won't bother voting across the board, because they are fed up.

Pretty much correct in what you post, bganon, interesting that so many readers disagree with you.

Just got back from voting. There were a few people at the polling station, however, what I found interesting was that I didn't see any observers.

Winston, indeed, I bet that the multiple voting troll responsible was one of those complaining about electoral fraud as well. I bet whilst he was at it, the irony was completely lost on him.

I didn't see any observers either Zoran, although there are a lot of observers about - so says the media and organisations responsible. However, I did see party activists hanging about who are sure to cry foul if anything suspicious goes on. Having said that they took their sweet time to cry foul last time round.

First results suggest that Nikolic is in the lead of around 2%.

God help us if Tadic wins, we will have accusations of electoral fraud all over again!

"First results suggest that Nikolic is in the lead of around 2%.

(bganon, 20 May 2012 20:46) "

Is there any predictable pattern to how the votes come in? I mean, do the villages (where you'd expect Nikolic to do well) generally get counted and reported earlier than Belgrade because they're smaller and it takes less time? And when can we expect the vote from Chicago, the second-largest Serb city in the world? Can you imagine a vote so close the country would be hanging on the 57 votes from New York? (I'm an American, I've seen some strange voting days.)

Yes Amer, the villages generally do tend to come sooner. However, Kosovo comes in last (in any case turnout there was low and Nikolic won't need those votes).

Don't know about Chicago though, the diaspora tend to vote in less numbers than those in Serbia, as you know.

So congratulations are in order Zoran, your candidate won! BTW did you notice the guy standing behind Vucic, as Vucic announced that Nikolic had won? The very same man who starred in the youtube film of electoral shenanigans in Zajecar.

So congratulations are in order Zoran, your candidate won! BTW did you notice the guy standing behind Vucic, as Vucic announced that Nikolic had won? The very same man who starred in the youtube film of electoral shenanigans in Zajecar.
(bganon, 20 May 2012 21:58)
--
Let me just say that my vote simply canceled out your vote. We both had a null vote in my mind. I neither voted Tadic or Nikolic but since you mentioned you weren't going to vote but for some reason changed your mind, I would just cancelled that out.

As we'll see within the next couple of years, Nikolic is going to do a great disservice to Serbia and those that had hope in him. The grapevine is quite small in Serbia but that is not going to change the cycle.

Well Zoran my vote was only really a message to SNS to say that trying to cheat / manipulate their way to victory was a no-no. Not that it made any difference.

I really hope that cynical purveyors of realpolitik in Serbia haven't learned a lesson that accusing opponents of stealing votes at the ballot box is a legitimate way to win elections.

People were fed up with Tadic, its that simple. And in a way its not a bad thing, because it shows that Serbian people are pretty normal like any other - there is no such thing as somebody or some party that will be elected over and over again.