Story highlights Gambians cast their vote using a unique marble and drum system

Marble system praised for being "more transparent, credible, and fair

However Internet and phone lines were blocked on eve of election

(CNN) Gambians headed to the polls Thursday to cast their vote for the next president, not with a ballot but with a unique marbles and drums system.

The country's electoral body praised the saying it was "more transparent, credible, and fair," allowing the country's illiterate citizens to vote.

"Our electoral commission is second to none," said Gambia's Independent Electoral Commission Chairman Alieu Momarr Njai in a press conference days before the election. "No one can rig it," he added.

The process was developed 60 years ago and each registered voter is given a single marble, which they place in drums that serve as a ballot box, each drum has a photo corresponding to a presidential candidate.

After the voting has ended, the drums are emptied and marbles are placed into special trays (with either 200 or 500 holes), this system enables counting officials to quickly see the number of votes cast in each drum.

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