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Venezuela Opposition Hoping for Big Wins in Regional Polls

by VOA News

   Venezuela's opposition is hoping Sunday's regional elections will wrest
   a majority of state governorships from President Nicolas Maduro's
   ruling Socialist Party, and give the opposition some momentum ahead of
   next year's presidential election.

   Polls projected opposition Democratic Union Roundtable coalition
   candidates were likely to win over half the contests.

   Many polling places stayed open past the official 6:00 pm closing time
   to allow voters already in line cast their ballots.

   Agence France Presse quoted an electoral commission source as
   estimating turnout at around 60 percent.

   Results are not expected until late Sunday or early Monday.

   Even if opposition politicians win a majority of state governorships,
   they still may not be able to effectively wield power. Maduro has said
   incoming governors will have to take an oath of office and "subordinate
   themselves" to the Constituent Assembly -- a pro-government legislative
   body Maduro created last summer following months of protests.

   The assembly seized legislative power from the opposition-dominated
   congress.