Officials tally votes after historic Libyan election

Officials tally votes after historic Libyan election - CNN.com: After Libyans cast ballots in a historic parliamentary election, officials Sunday turned to the next step in determining the country's political future: counting the votes.

Authorities have started transporting ballot boxes from polling stations around the country to the main tally center in Tripoli, said Nuri Khalifa Al-Abbar, chairman of Libya's High National Election Commission. Tallying began at polling centers Saturday night.

Some preliminary results could be announced Sunday or Monday, he said, according to the state-run LANA news agency.

About 1.7 million Libyans -- roughly 60% of the nation's 2.8 million registered voters -- cast ballots, Al-Abbar said. The turnout was expected to increase Sunday, as eight polling centers were opened after violence on election day stopped voters from casting ballots there Saturday.

Celebrations in Tripoli began Saturday and continued overnight after the landmark parliamentary vote, which many saw as the African nation's first steps to building a free and democratic nation.