Lining up hours before dawn, citizens of Sierra Leone went to the polls Wednesday to choose a new president, parliament, and local councilors in one of the most hotly contested elections in the West African nation's history. Jason Patinkin was there and snapped these photos.
Sierra Leone Election
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A voter gets her finger inked after casting her ballots in Freetown, Sierra Leone, March 7, 2018. (Photo: Jason Patinkin / VOA)
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A line of voters snakes out of a polling station onto the street in Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital, March 7, 2018. (Photo: Jason Patinkin / VOA)
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Mothers with babies line up to vote at a polling station in Freetown, Sierra Leone, March 7, 2018. (Photo: Jason Patinkin / VOA )
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A line of voters snakes out onto the street in Freetown, Sierra Leone, March 7, 2018. (Photo: Jason Patinkin / VOA)