Vote counting in Zimbabwe begins Tuesday to determine the winner of the bitterly-contested presidential election between President Robert Mugabe and challenger Morgan Tsvangirai. 

Officials say the results could be announced as early as Wednesday. 

Voting ended Monday after the High Court rejected an opposition request to hold a second extra day of balloting. 

The elections were to have ended late Sunday, but polling stations re-opened in the capital, Harare, and a nearby town after the High Court ordered one extra day because of long delays at polling stations. 

Mr. Tsvangirai, the opposition leader, has called on his supporters to remain calm. He is accusing President Mugabe of using the polling station delays and voter intimidation to steal the election and maintain his 22-year grip on power. Mr. Tsvangirai raised the possibility the government may try to arrest or kill him. 

Meanwhile, the European Union has issued a preliminary report saying Zimbabwe's presidential election has not been fair. 

Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner announced Monday that EU envoys in Zimbabwe report that voters did not have sufficient access to polling places. 

Last month, the European Union pulled its election monitors out of Zimbabwe and imposed a travel ban on President Mugabe due to increasing political violence and interference with the observers. The current EU envoys are part of a diplomatic mission observing the election proceedings. 

Ms. Ferraro-Waldner said the final election developments from Zimbabwe will be reviewed on Friday and Saturday when EU officials meet in Barcelona, Spain. 

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

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