Haiti waits for election results

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Officials sorted through fraudulent ballots and scrambled for compromises to head off the threat of social unrest as Haiti prepared for the expected release on Tuesday of results from its dysfunctional presidential election.

Already wracked by a cholera epidemic and still recovering from the Jan 12 earthquake, the country is now being tested by accusations of fraud in the Nov 28 vote and disputes over anticipated results. Rock-throwing clashes with police have been a near-daily occurrence while furious closed-door discussions take place within the provisional electoral council, or CEP. The results could be released anytime on Tuesday.

If a candidate comes away with more than 50 percent of the vote, he or she will be president. The top two candidates are otherwise supposed to go on to a Jan 16 run-off, but electoral officials on Monday were considering allowing at least a third candidate into the final round if the vote is close.