Frontrunners Karam, Azar cast votes during Koura by-election

All eyes turned to the north Lebanon district of Koura Sunday where rival frontrunners Fadi Karam of the Lebanese Forces and Walid al-Azar of the Syrian Social Nationalist Party cast their votes in the parliamentary by-election to fill the Orthodox seat of late Lebanese Forces MP Farid Habib. “I have the utmost respect for every citizen who is casting their vote [today],” Karam, speaking at a polling center in Amioun, told reporters. The LF candidate, one of six contending for the now vacant Orthodox seat, also dismissed labeling votes in sectarian terms. “We don’t label the votes as a ‘Sunni’ vote or a ‘Christian’ vote; all residents of Koura are of the same fabric,” he said, adding that “the battle is purely political ... and neutral blocs have the decisive say in this situation.” Amioun, with the largest number of registered voters, saw a low turnout earlier in the day, with the National News Agency reporting participation of about 15 percent before noon. Azar, another frontrunner in the race, voiced confidence in the elections process but said that vote buying taking place. “We are comfortable with conditions surrounding the elections despite some pressures and defects,” Azar, who also voted at a polling station in Amioun, told reporters. “The battle is not fully democratic as there is a lot political money being spent,” he added. The National News Agency said the elections process began at 7 a.m. at most voting stations. Some slight delays did take place at a polling center situated at a public school in Amioun that serves the villages of Balghoun,Badboun and western Amioun. President Michel Sleiman, in a statement, said Koura’s by-election should be an occasion to stress the democratic process“which begins with the freedom of expression.” The elections race pits Karam, from the LF and backed by March 14 parties, against Azar, from the SSNP and backed by March 8 groups. Four other candidates – Jean Mofarrej, George Matar, Joseph Skaff and Naim Ajaimi – are also officially in the race but are expected to trail well behind the two frontrunners. More than 57,000 eligible voters are on the rolls, and some 27,000 people voted in the general elections of 2009. Deputy Parliament Speaker and Koura MP Farid Makari, who cast his vote at a secondary school in Enfeh, said he hoped voter participation would rise. The March 14 lawmaker, a staunch critic of Syria, said the Karam had earned the loyalty of Koura’s residents. “The battle is between a Lebanese group and forces who are loyal to Hezbollah, Iran and the Syrian regime,” he added. Defense Minister Fayez Ghosn from the Marada movement, which back Azar, cast his vote at polling station in Kousba, which the NNA said witnessed an increase in voter turnout before noon time. As of 2 p.m. overall voter turnout stood at 32 percent, Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said, adding that the security situation was “very good.”