The Afghan Election is beset with obstacles to voter turnout, including impassable roads and threats of violence from the Taliban. The main candidates are Current President Hamid Karzai, former foreign affairs minister Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan MP Ramazan Bashardost, and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani. NATO forces currently deployed in Afghanistan will cease ongoing operations to focus on providing security for the elections.

Hamid Karzai is the frontrunner according to polls, but his popularity has been plunging.