78 year-old Ouattara's entry should surprise no one. He goes to the trouble of changing the constitution, allowing himself a run for a third time, then under pressure and Hamlet-like, forgoes this chance? In a region where 20-year, 30-year, lifetime terms for presidents are the rule, Outtara self-dispatching in a mere 10 years would be, well, a national humiliation. The man to watch is ex-president and competitor Henri Konan Bédié, now in his 86th year. Konan Bédié has far more talent and energy than all the declared presidential candidates combined. He deserves to jaunt the halls of the presidential palace again for as many terms as Outtara's new constitution allows.

RP/IndyGeorgia/BrentinCO/RBH - Just a wonk's bothersome comment: Ouattara's celestial blow-out result should be calculating at 94.27% (not 95.3%), Konan Bédié at 1.66%, Konan Bertin at 1.99% and Affi N'Guessan 0.99%. The number of valid votes adds up when combining the four (3,215,909), but the percentages are off (try sorting this all on a calculator. You'll see what I mean). I've noticed percentages have been slightly amiss when calculating the votes in other races as well. Am I doing something wrong? Perhaps you know how to fix it?

That lower percentage may be factoring in blank/void votes. We can add those if the published results include them in their tally.

Thank you, IndyG.

That lower percentage may be factoring in blank/void votes. We can add those if the published results include them in their tally. Ahhh interesting. I've wondered about tha too.

I'd rather not add void votes. That's not how they should be calculated. There is an Under Votes spot for that.

When does Bédié throw in the towel and retire?