3 Killed Outside Turkish Polling Station

Three people have died after a fight outside a polling station in southeastern Turkey as the country’s controversial referendum kicked off, authorities said Sunday. Turkey’s Anadolu news agency said two families got into a fight outside a polling station in the province of Diyarbakir, and the independent Dogan news station cited “differences in political opinion” as the reason for the fight. Two people were detained after the incident, and police reportedly increased security in the area. The polls opened early Sunday in the country’s referendum on legislation that would greatly expand Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s powers, a move which some say would lead to a dictatorship. As of Sunday afternoon, Turkish authorities said the “yes” vote was in the lead, with more than half of the votes counted. More than 55 million people were registered to vote in the historic referendum. After casting his ballot in Istanbul early Sunday, Erdogan called the vote “a choice for change and transformation.” “We need to make a decision that is beyond the ordinary,” he said, adding that he is hopeful the people will make the “expected” decision. “I believe in my nation's democratic common sense,” he said.