Counting in the first Afghan election has been completed and Hamid Karzai has been declared the winner, even though there was obvious evidence of voter fraud and ballot box stuffing. His win was so overwhelming though that the fraud was not a concern in the outcome of the election.

Yahoo/AP

Counting in Afghanistan's presidential election concluded Tuesday, with U.S.-backed interim leader Hamid Karzai the clear winner even though some ballot boxes were "obviously stuffed," election officials said.

Investigators were still examining about 100 ballot boxes to clear up lingering fraud allegations, but the election's chief technical officer said the count was effectively "over and done."

"It's just these last dribs and drabs to be approved," David Avery told The Associated Press. "It's really nothing that can affect the outcome."

Election officials have said they will not announce the official results of the Oct. 9 vote until investigations into irregularities alleged by Karzai's main rivals have been concluded. That could be this weekend.

The winner will be inaugurated in about a month.

Tipped by: California Yankee