Diary of Akbar Hashemi - February 18, 2000 - Start of the Sixth Parliament Elections

The start of the Sixth Parliament elections.

There is an expectation of high participation and the success of the Front for Participation list, which has caused concern for the Hashemi family, especially for Aftab Morashi.

Initial reports and concerns from Abdullah Jasbi regarding the voting process in the electoral districts.

I spent most of the day at home. I only went to Hosseiniyeh Jamaran to cast my vote. Many journalists had gathered there. Due to the ban on campaigning, I refrained from answering questions; I only said a few words about my expectations for the future parliament.

The kids who visited the electoral districts in the north and northwest of Tehran said that the Participation Party is ahead of others, which upset those around me, particularly Aftab; although other reports from the southern, eastern, and southwestern districts of Tehran indicate that the leftists are in the minority.

Everyone agrees that public presence and participation in this election is greater than ever; this is because internal and external opponents have urged their supporters to participate in favor of the left and the Participation Party, and those who were indifferent or boycotted in previous elections have actively participated this time. In many districts, there has been a need for extra time due to high voter turnout. Dr. Abdullah Jasbi also called and said that rivals are illegally campaigning inside the districts, and he mentioned that it seems the Participation Party is ahead.