Bulldozer

Presidential hopeful Gul Agha Sherzai, a former governor of both Kandahar and Nangarhar provinces, opted for a bulldozer to match his nickname, earned for his hard-hitting style and reputation for getting things done.

During his time as governor of Nangarhar, the former warlord completed a series of daunting infrastructure projects in recorded time, including building a network of paved roads, installing solar-powered street lights in urban centers, and reconstructing the presidential palace in the provincial capital, Jalalabad.

Scales of Justice

Qutbuddin Helal, a prominent member of the Hezb-e Islami faction, led by notorious jihadist leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, chose the scales of justice as his symbol.

His choice has raised eyebrows. Hekmatyar has been blacklisted by Washington as a terrorist and his Hezb-e-Islami faction, currently fighting against international and Afghan security forces, has been accused of committing some of the worst human-rights abuses that occurred during Afghanistan's 1990s civil war.

Koran

Ashraf Ghani, a former finance minister and World Bank official, chose the Koran as his symbol.

It is unclear why, exactly, he chose the Koran. But the Western-educated technocrat could be looking to show voters his religious side. Afghanistan is one of the world's most deeply religious and conservative countries and some Afghans could be wary of a candidate with ties to the West.

Ultimately, however, Ghani could have to make another choice. In the past, symbols of cultural, religious, or historical importance have been ruled out on the basis that they could give candidates an unfair advantage.

Afghan Flag

Abdul Rasul Sayyaf is an Egyptian-trained cleric who is credited with bringing leading Al-Qaeda figures -- including former leader Osama bin Laden -- to Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s.

He picked the Afghan flag as his symbol, perhaps in an attempt to showcase his patriotism and overcome the perception among voters that he has strong connections with foreigners.

But his choice, too, could be overruled, seeing as the flag is an official symbol of the Afghan state.

Pencil

Qayum Karzai, the older brother of outgoing President Hamid Karzai, has smartly adopted the pencil as his logo.

Qayum is a prominent technocrat who was educated in the United States. He has stressed the important role education can play in developing the country and putting it on the road to prosperity.

Book and Pen

Abdullah Abdullah, a former foreign minister, has also adopted a symbol of education.

Abdullah is a qualified eye surgeon and the 2009 election runner-up has often spoken about the importance of education.

Wheat

Hedayat Amin Arsala, a former finance minister, has gone with wheat, a symbol of abundance and prosperity. Arsala, who was educated in the United States, is an economist by trade. His choice may be designed to show off his economic credentials.