Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
Voice of America is funded by the US Federal Government and content it
exclusively produces is in the public domain.

Vote Counting Begins Following Iraqi Constitutional Referendum
--------------------------------------------------------------

(http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=F62FB9:3919ACA

Final results expected in about three days; strong voter turnout
reported in 18 provinces





Policeman votes in Baquba, SaturdayThe national referendum on Iraq's
new constitution has drawn to a close after a day of apparently strong
voter turnout and little violence.

In Baghdad, celebratory gunfire rung out as poll workers began
counting ballots across Iraq's 18 provinces.

Saturday, the nation's Shi'ite, Kurdish, Sunni Arab and other
communities used the ballot boxes to voice their opinion of the
proposed new national charter.

Voters were asked the single question: "Do you approve the draft
constitution of Iraq?" to which they answered either "yes" or "no."







Iraqi President Jalal Talabani prepares to vote in Baghdad,
SaturdayTens of thousands of Iraqi security forces and police, as well
as U.S.-led coalition troops, provided protection for the country's
more than 15 million eligible voters as international and local
monitors looked on.

There was sporadic violence, but no reports of major insurgent
attacks. The only confirmed deaths were of three Iraqi policemen
killed by a roadside bomb.

A simple majority of voters is needed to pass the constitution. But it
could fail if two-thirds of voters in at least three provinces reject
it.

Final results are expected in about three days, but preliminary
results could come sooner.

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.


.