Large Turnout Cited in Assembly Election

Long lines formed as hundreds of thousands of voters in Benin turned out to elect their National Assembly, with 35 parties and alliances battling for supremacy in this small West African nation. Preliminary indications showed a high turnout, officials said, and there were no reports of violence. However, a number of polling stations across the country reported a shortage of ballots and other voting materials. The election was widely expected to be a close race between supporters of President Mathieu Kerekou--a former Marxist dictator--and his opponents.