Afghan election workers must prepare for September poll: US

Election officials in Afghanistan should do more to ensure delayed presidential polls can take place in September, the US embassy in Kabul said Thursday.

The election was initially slated for April 20, but as the date drew close it grew obvious that overwhelmed poll officials were unprepared -- owing to them still tallying results from a nationwide parliamentary ballot in October.

Amid the push to finalise those results, officials first delayed the presidential election until July 20, and then again to September 28. Final results were only announced this week.

In a statement, the US embassy urged the Independent Election Commission and Afghan authorities "do their part to take the decisions and actions necessary to give the Afghan people their voice at the ballot box this year."
"We are prepared to continue supporting this process."