Karzai Wins Afghan Presidential Poll 
Hamid Karzai won outright victory in Afghanistan’s first presidential election according to preliminary results, the interim leader's supporters and chief rival said Sunday, October 24, 2004. Karzai, 46, the urbane Pashtun tribal chief, who has led Afghanistan with strong US backing for nearly three years, won the simple majority needed to avoid a run-off. With 94.4 percent of votes counted, Karzai has 55.3 percent, 39 points ahead of main rival Yunus Qanuni. However, the election organizers will not announce the result until all ballots are counted.