Polling stations close in Lebanon's first stage of municipal election
Xinhua, May 9, 2016 Adjust font size:
Polling stations closed in the first stage of Lebanon's municipal election that was held on Sunday in the capital city of Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley.
Beirut saw a low turnout of around 20 percent of the voters, compared to 41 percent for Bekaa.
About 470,000 voters are registered in the capital despite almost four times more people living there.
It is the first election of any kind in Lebanon since the last municipal polls in 2010.
Lebanon has not had a president for the past two years nor held legislative elections since 2009.
Two lists contended in Beirut -- the "Beirutis" list backed by al-Mustaqbal movement Chief MP Saad Hariri and other parties that are represented in the government, and the "Beirut Madinati" list that includes teachers, fishermen and artists.
A day earlier, the Internal Security Forces said that security measures would be beefed up during the elections.
Over 20,000 security forces and military members oversaw the security of the electoral process throughout Lebanon. Endit