Blog | Tunisians Vote in First Free Presidential Election - Photos

Candidate rallies filled Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis Friday evening, the last opportunity for voters to express their support for 27 candidates on the ballot Sunday, Nov. 23. After January 2011, this location became known as “the avenue of the revolution.” (All photos: The Carter Center/G. Dubourthoumieu)

Tunisians voted for one of 27 candidates for president. This festive mother and daughter favored candidate 8.

Ambassador (Ret.) Mary Ann Peters, Carter Center CEO and delegation co-leader, briefs Tunisian and international media about the Center’s observation delegation at a polling center in Tunis early on election day. Next to her is co-leader Ambassador Audrey Glover of the United Kingdom. The Center deployed about 85 international observers to all 27 constituencies in Tunisia.

Center Center co-leader Hina Jilani, an international human rights leader from Pakistan, observes at a polling station in greater Tunis. Center observers visited 380 polling stations throughout Tunis to assess whether electoral procedures were followed and how well elections were administered on election day. The Center’s findings will be released Tuesday, Nov. 25.

Tunisians came out early to vote in the first presidential election under the new Tunisian constitution adopted in January 2014.

A voter dips her finger in the ink till just before she fills out her ballot. The visual identification that she has voted will wear off after a few weeks of daily handwashing.

If the predicted run-off is confirmed by the Independent High Authority for the Elections (ISIE) when results are announced this week, this proud Tunisian couple will be back to refresh the faded ink on their fingers. A December run-off will be the third time they will go to the polls this fall. The Center also observed legislative elections in October.