Afghanistan recently had their national election. And like India, they use symbols on their ballots to help non-literate people recognize their candidate (as well as portraits). There's a great photograph of the ballot in the Big Picture.
The symbols are qualitatively different than the Indian ballot. There's an odd use of multiples: two or three objects to fill the square. And they seem more abstract, no hammer and sickle or the like. According to PRI candidates were given a choice of three random symbols, although some candidates were able to pick things that seem representative. As an American it's hard not to see the airplanes as provocative.
politics
  2009-08-28 17:55 Z