Presidential election in Afghanistan will be held on August 20, 2009. This will be the country's second democratic election. The previous 2004 Afghan election was held on October 9, 2004, in which President Hamid Karzai turned out the winner allowing him to serve a five (5) year term that ends in October 2009. Mullah Omar, leader of the Taliban, in December 2008 called for a boycott of the election. On March 11, 2009, NATO officials announced that 15.6 million voters had registered to vote, roughly half of the country's population. With 35 to 38 percent of the registered voters being women. The Independent Election Commission originally recommended that the poll be held at the same time as the 2010 parliamentary election to save costs; However, politicians in the country were unable to agree the details.