Here’s a quick roundup about what all the regional blogs are saying, and then below that will be the aftermath of election day.

– New Eurasia is blogging a storm. Just scroll. It includes on the ground reporting, pictures of campaign posters, exit poll information, and an appearance by Ariel Cohen calling the election the most fair he’s ever seen in the former USSR.
– A lot at Registan too. Again, just scroll!
– Scroll at Blogrel, as Katy is on the ground in Baku.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has issued its report on the conduct of the elections, regretfully declaring that they do not meet international standards. As was predicted largely beforehand, local officials did not follow through in ensuring that the polls were conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. The announcement has bolstered declarations by the opposition that the election results were fraudulent, although common sense would have indicated that. Now, they are calling for streets protests in what will surely be an attempted color revolution against the Aliyev government.

BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 7 -An international monitoring agency said today that the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan did not meet standards for democratic elections, with cases of ballot stuffing and attempts to influence voters.

Voters in Azerbaijan cast their ballots for Parliament on Sunday amid new accusations of fraud and government abuses, following months of pre-election tension in a nation that has never had a free and fair election under its ruling family.

Today, a statement by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which sent 665 observers from 42 countries to visit more than half of all polling stations in the country, said that the elections did not meet standards for democratic elections.

“The shortcomings that were observed, particularly during election day, have led us to conclude that the elections did not meet Azerbaijan’s international commitments on elections,” said Alcee L. Hastings, president of the O.S.C.E. Parliamentary Assembly and the special coordinator for the short-term observers.

“It pains me to report that progress noted in the pre-election period was undermined by significant deficiencies in the count.” The turnout Sunday appeared modest, with the preliminary government figures from many districts showing 40 percent to 50 percent of eligible voters casting ballots and the ruling party with a firm official lead in seats for the 125-member Parliament.”

The day was largely peaceful, if chaotic. But the possibility of violence remained, as the government and its opponents came to starkly different conclusions about the conduct of the vote and ballot counting and as the government appeared to have tampered with the results of at least one prominent race.

The ruling Yeni Azerbaijan Party declared victory even as the count continued, while leaders of Azadliq, a three-party opposition bloc, said the official results were a sham and races were tainted by falsification, fraud and police action. Ali Kerimli, leader of the Popular Front of Azerbaijan Party, a bloc member whose evident leads in several polling places were rejected by the authorities, called for demonstrations on Tuesday.

Beside the intimidation, faulty indelible ink, and ballot box stuffing, a lot of the controversy is surrounding U.S. and independently funded exit polls (here’s one) held during the election, the results of which differ greatly from the official results from the central electoral commission. This happened in Ukraine as well, though Yushchenko was undeniably more popular there than the opposition in Azerbaijan is. However, these same trends that sparked a revolution in Ukraine will be used as the same pretext for revolution in Azerbaijan. While there were marked improvements from previous elections, it was not enough.

A protest will therefore be held as soon as possible. The Azadliq “Freedom” opposition alliance has applied for sanctioned protests in Baku, and they have been approved for November 9.

The Baku executive power sent a reply letter to the application of the “Azadliq” block regarding the rallies on 8, 9 and 10 of November.

The executive power of Baku sanctioned holding the rally-march by the “Azadliq” coalition on November 9 from 15.00 till 18.00 that will start at the “20 January” subway station and finish at the “Galaba” movie-theater.

However, the rallies on 8 and 10 November have not been authorized.

It makes no mentioned of bringing the protests to Freedom Square, and the opposition promises that they will be peaceful. However, I believe that they will try to amass a large amount of people and stray from their officially sanctioned path. This could lead to a huge crackdown by the Aliyev government in a repeat of the October 2003 crackdown. Or, if Azadliq is actually able to bring out enough people, a colored revolution that ends without bloodshed is still possible. We will know tomorrow.